OPINION —
As early childhood teachers we try to celebrate each day with our classroom of young children.
Wednesday, April 26, is celebrated as “Hug A Friend Day!” An unknown author truly coined what a hug means to us by writing “The Hug.”
A few lines of this poem are: “It’s wonderous what a hug can do. A hug can cheer you when you’re blue. A hug can say, “I love you so,” Or, “Gee, I hate to see you go.” A hug is, “Welcome back again.” And, “Great to see you! Where’ve you been?”
I know it thrills parents, grandparents and teachers when children run with a smile and outstretched arms to greet us with a big hug. Parenting is truly a demanding but rewarding season in raising young children. We as parents have to multitask daily in running errands, preparing meals, bathing and dressing our children, taking them to school, making sure they rest, as well as other parental responsibilities. Taking time to create hug moments provides so many benefits for your child. When your child awakens from a nap or long night’s sleep, a hug can provide such love and security. It gives them confidence that they are accepted.
One true joy of life is making friends and having friends. When children begin to discover the happiness of friendship their world opens up to new relationships and socialization. As we know, this depends on the age of a child.
As a parent, when you see your child having difficulty making friends with other children, you can take time to role play with your child. The parent can play the part of a friend as they engage in activities and play with them. In the classroom, I love to do pretend meals with children. As a parent, you can do this at home in sharing a pretend meal. Playing dolls or teddy bears with them teaches children how to interact with other peers.
Spend time with your children and listen closely to your child or children about who they may like to play with at school. Check in with other parents of one or two other children and invite them over to play. One thing I truly cherish about Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) is that they have play dates at playgrounds or parks where the children can play with each other, as well an opportunity for mothers to make friends. Too, there are child-friendly restaurants that have indoor playgrounds where the children can play and make friends while families can fellowship with other families and enjoy a meal. Too, viewing a favorite video with a favorite snack together are simple things that children enjoy. The main thing that you are focusing on is having them learn how to get along with others. With very young children, it is necessary for parents to quietly oversee the play of their friends, especially if it is their first time to play. As parents, you don’t want to dominate or control their play but you want to facilitate their play. Keep in mind that children depend on routine and familiar activities.
Children consider their pets to be their friends. They play for hours with their furry friends such as dogs, cats, hamsters, etc. Taking care of a goldfish by feeding it, as well as cleaning out its bowl, helps to instill a sense of care and responsibility. Guiding children on how to take care of pets develops a sense of responsibility which is necessary in friendships.
Free play is the work of a young child. Play provides a wonderful socialization time for children to make friends. Playing inside or outside with your child promotes physical, mental and emotional happiness in exercise and fun. Running, walking, skipping and throwing a ball back and forth is loved by young children. Too, children are happy when they are engaged in helping others. These can be simple acts of kindness in helping friends and family. Children love to be needed and to help. I love to quietly observe preschoolers or kindergarten students help each other tie or put on shoes after play, or helping others gather papers in putting it in a backpack or folder. As a teacher, I observe this weekly in the early childhood classroom.
As teachers, we do a lot of reviewing things learned at the end of the year. I would like to review some tips I have suggested in earlier Classroom Observer articles on guiding young children to share and care.
1. Demonstrate and model sharing and caring for others by example. Take the time to let your young child share. Taking time to cut a piece of fruit or cookie into and share with your child is a simple activity. Praise your child if they share with you.
2. Praise children when they share with other people in the family. Hug, verbally encourage and let them know that you are happy when they share.
3. With young children, point out and take time to discuss other people’s needs. When young children are making gifts for example, Mom, because Mother’s Day is coming up, ask what their mother’s favorite color is. The same can go for food favorites in the family. Some families have special food nights. During a pizza night, for example, a young child may say I like cheese pizza, but ask your child what other family members like, such a pepperoni pizza. They need to consider other people’s favorites too.
4. In working with your child in sharing toys with friends, take the time to separate toys with your child. Ask your child to decide upon the toys they would like to share in playing together.
5. Our local libraries are so very helpful. I love going into the library each week to have the librarians help me pull helpful early childhood books on different topics. There are so many books on sharing that they can help parents to find in sharing with your children.
I want to gently remind everyone that on Wednesday, April 26, is “Administrative Professional/Secretaries Day”. This day would truly be a good day to give those who help us in offices everywhere a big hug!
Classroom Observer
Beth Pinyerd