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Barbara Kane founded HearthSong in 1983 because of a growing conviction that, "…too often, in our culture, children are pushed to grow up too fast. HearthSong
is started to make a statement reinforcing what parents themselves know is true, right and healthy--that childhood is a very special time." Children need time to be children.
A catalyst for Kane was a major national news magazine's cover story on "superbabies."
This article, and her own observations, made her more aware of how our society
pressures parents to teach their children more and more facts, at earlier and
earlier ages.Kane chose the company's name to reflect her values:
the hearth, a traditional symbol for the center of the home, and song to
symbolize the family spirit, the joy that parents and children can experience
together.
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More About HearthSong
Originally printed in black and white, with
pencil drawings of carefully selected toys and books, and mailed out of Kane's
house by her family, the first catalog was a success. Circulation has grown from
a mailing of several thousand catalogs to the current mail quantity of 19
million. Its merchandise selection and product development goals are inspired by
Kane's philosophy of child development, drawn from a broad base of child
psychologists, parents, religious teachers, toymakers, and educators-especially
those from the Waldorf school of thought.
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