 | |
|
Previous Posts
Archives
|
Simply Unique Baby Gifts Posting Page
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
I had seen this video a few months ago and I have had many conversations (offline) about the topic. As a mother of 2 and grandmother of 4, I am still very much in touch with what is happening with children these days.
Everything from the public educational system and how testing is effecting the kids (a post for another time) - to all the precautions new parents are being urged to take, in keeping their kids safe. I happened across a new product yesterday that "saves little fingers from slamming doors" (as the ad reads) and that caused me to remember this video by Gever Tulley: 5 dangerous things you should let your kids do. I agree that allowing kids to explore will actually make them safer. My 2 younger grandchildren attend Montessori. I attended "Grandfriends Day" last year for the first time, as it was the 4 year old's first year. The day was filled with mostly observing the kids, in their classroom. I noticed many of the kids - my granddaughter included - were very attracted to taking their turn at using these little trays. They were like little child-size cafeteria trays and each tray had glass pitchers of various sizes, shapes and colors. Each tray (there was about a dozen different ones on shelving built very low to the floow) had the same type of setup: a glass pitcher, a glass bowl, a small glass vial with soap in it and a small child-size sponge. The children would fill the pitcher up with water, add a drop of soap and either pour the water back and forth between the glass containers on their tray or take the sponge and methodically soak up the water from one container and squeeze it into the other. It struck me immediately that these containers were all made of glass rather than plastic, the children were carrying the trays back and forth from the shelving, where the trays usually lived, to the table area where the kids did their work and at any given moment, there could be a glass container crashing to the floor - especially at the angle some of these trays were being carried at. :-) At one point, a child did have one of the glass vials that held the soap slide off the tray she was carrying, which caused it to crash to the floor and break in numerous pieces. The child immediately started crying, a teacher came over to soothe her and explain, "all was ok" and another teacher cleaned up the mess. No harm done. Later, during refreshments and a question and an answer period in another room where the kids were not present, I asked the school staff what the thinking was, regarding using glass vs plastic for these materials - especially, since the age group. It was explained to me that using plastic did not have the same cause and effect. In other words, carrying a tray with plastic would not give the child the same opportunity to feel weight and learn balance, as it does with glass. And holding a pitcher in your hands made of glass is much different than plastic, etc. When I was raising my kids, I had many friends that were also in the stage of raising their children. I saw that the ones that sheltered their children, making most, if not of their decisions for them - what to eat, when to eat, what time to get up, what time to go to bed, how much TV to watch... had very stressful teenage and young adult relationship with their kids. It seemed to me that the parents had made most of the decisions for their kids and now, all of a sudden, they were wanting them to "act like adults". It seemed to be a bit "abrupt" for the kids to suddenly have to make the same decisions they had never been allowed to make, all those prior years. I, on the other hand, had taken the opportunity, as much as possible, to allow my kids to make their own decisions. While my friends were still trying to get their 14 year old up in the morning, I was not having that issue. At the first conversation regarding staying up to watch a TV program on a school nite, I had said, "Let's let you decide how late to stay up. Just recognize you have school tomorrow and if you stay up too late, you may be tired when it is time to get up. You may not. I guess we will see." There was no threat in my voice. None of the "you'll see I'm right" energy about it. It was a very clear and clean, "let's see what happens" - more with curiousity - like an experiment. (Isn't all of life an experiment, anyway?) It only took one morning of dragging out of bed, (and us all laughing about how having to get up and get through the day with too little sleep works), for the child to make their own decision to go to bed earlier the following nites and with no nagging necessary, from me. Making their own decision on that subject matter, and experiencing the outcome, was the key factor. I believe the sooner we allow the child to begin to make their own decisions - the more ability we give them to experience life, in a healthy manner, through their own power. I am not talking about giving knives to 4 year olds. I am talking about giving them the opportunity - sooner - to feel what it is like to make decisions earlier. What to wear, what time to go to bed, making their own cereal. Whenever possible, give the child the opportunity, with your guidance, to experience decision-making. Everyone will be better for it. Labels: children, education, parenting help by: Pat Graham-Block |
| Copyright 2008 Simply Unique Baby Gifts All Rights Reserved
Simply Unique Baby Gifts |
3 Comments:
Great video! As a grandparent myself, I appreciate your insights here. When my kids were young, I would let them "play with fire" and other stuff my wife wasn't too lenient about. (Well, except that time when they almost burned down the barn -- I didn't find out about it until they told me after they became adults.)
Thanks for a great article!
- Grandpa Shayne
Shayne,
What a great testimonial! :-)
I think, as a society, we are becoming more and more worried about things and then, fear starts running our lives! The media has a big part to play in this!
Something happens to a couple of folks and than, all of a sudden, we are ALL supposed to "worry" about it happening to us!
Worrying is like planning, in advance!
Pat
I would rather my children make mistakes now while I am in the position to point them in the right direction when they fall. In my oppinion that is one of the roles of a parent.
Please read my lens and see the unbelievable actions of a group of children I know!
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link