The FamilyWe are not born knowing how to behave in society, we have to learn many of thebehaviours from the environment and people around us, growing up.For most of us, this learning starts with the family at home.Learning comes in many forms. Sometimes children learn by being told somethingdirectly. However, the most common way children learn is by observation ofeveryday life.A child’s learning and socialization are most influenced by their family since thefamily is the child’s primary social group.Child development happens physically, emotionally, socially, and intellectually duringthis time.To make an analogy, if you were constructing a large building, you have to makesure that it has a solid foundation so that the rest of the building can stand tall andstrong for many years to come. If the foundation is not strong, the building will havetrouble standing on its own. Just like people, if our foundations are not solid, we findit more difficult to be successful in our relationships with others, work, health, andourselves. So, it cannot be stressed enough how important the family is in thedevelopment of a child.This is why ‘Family’ is one of our core values at Cedar Crest. In many cases, yourchildren spend most of their day with us, we are in a way an extension of the familyunit. We therefore strive to create an environment in which children are nurtured,loved and cared for, as they are in their primary social group, their family unit.‘Children learn about the nature of the world from their family. They learn aboutpower and about justice, about peace and about compassion within the family.Whether we oppress or liberate our children in our relationships with them willdetermine whether they grow up to oppress and be oppressed or to liberate and beliberated.’ … Desmond Tutu