Would you consider this as an insignificant black squidge on the path outside?? Well only if you are not a small child or early years practitioner.
Early this morning I was called to the garden, by one of my team, to witness a very moving scene. A small boy, less than two years old, came across a slug, the slug, now long dead, lay squidged on the path. The little boy seeing this, bent down to take a closer look. He looked up at his key person and told her, ‘s’broken’ He held his hands out using the sign for ‘all gone’ Quietly she reflected back, ‘yes, its dead, its all gone, its broken. He toddled off and fetched a small rock and a plastic cone and placed these near to the slug. he stood up and told the children and adults, ‘stop’
Moved by his actions she came to fetch me to witness this incredible scene. This tiny boy, placing stones around the slug to ‘stop’ children treading on it. As we watched he continued to bend over the slug and repeat ‘s’broken’
We adults do not know the all thoughts and feelings of the children we spend our days with. Observing them and documenting their actions provides greater insight into their world and thereby engenders even greater respect for the people we work with.
Tender actions of small children
