Ongoing play

and therefor it ha no end...it just flows

speaks from experience

"You're only given a little spark of maddness. You mustn't lose it." Robin Willians 

Risk taking and why it is a good thing...

"...the best way to keep children safe is to give them a little taste of danger..."

What do you want to be when you grow up?

This kid wants to be as happy as he now when he grows up. He talks about how he has been able to be himself, a happy, healthy, and creative kid. When he is an adult he wants to be a happy one, but what he will do is still a question he is searching through being a part of creating his own curriculum.

What a hug and a smile are capable of.

As the children were being let out of their kindergarten class many of the children hugged their teacher, and she hugged them right back. She hugged them with a look on her face that said she cared for them. Not because they were assigned to her but because she understood who they were and respected them as individuals. She managed to give these genuine hugs while making sure they went off with the right adults and that the adults had the information that they needed. I was struck with the memory of my own kindergarten teacher. Thinking she would have never shown such demonstrative affection to us. I do not recall ever receiving one hug from her. I actually do not remember receiving a hug from any of my teachers. I remember I did have a few teacher that smiled with their eyes. Those were the ones I had respect for because I had the feeling of being notice-of being significant. I try to hug each child that greets me when I arrive to my shift at the childcare centre and if I can't hug them because they are across the room or just don't seem as they want a hug I smile at them with my whole self. I am as happy to see them as they are to see me. Watching the kindergarten teacher with her class reminded me just how important those connections are, even for the "big" kids.

I cam across this on FB

A father filled this form out for his 11 month old daughter. If only more parents would fill out the form as accurately. It may seem in jest but it speaks volumes about the child that is attending. She is curious and tactile, she has an issues with water being poured on her head (this could happen at a water table if other children were also there), she is an early riser, vocal, persistent, and perhaps likes to play more on her own rather than with other children at this time. This form also tells that her father has a sense of humour. We all need that when working with these little people.

Just remember...

They will plot revenge...

...perhaps we should strive not to give them a reason to need to.