Thursday's Thought

Sometimes the best times are ordinary times when there are no pressing holidays, birthdays or festivities of any kind in any way that add or detract from what we ordinarily do.

Ordinary uncluttered, undemeanding time is a good time to take measure of how we live, to make changes, to reorganize, to stop, look, and listen to the life we have created around us. It’s a time when the children in our care should take precedence.

Ordering ordinary takes time. It’s like spring housecleaning everything but the house because what we are really doing is cleaning up our regular routine and that’s no easy thing to do.

Beginning with our relationship with the children in our lives, parents and providers should re-examine what enables the philosophy of our child care to develop. What makes it good and not so good. What are our expectations and goals and then the ultimate question: Am I living up to my own expectations.

Sitting while watching children play is a good way to bring one’s thoughts to mind about the children in care or our own children. It’s an excellent time to ask questions:

Joshua will be going to kindergarten in the fall. How do I think he will do? Will his social maturity let him make friends easily? Will his interest in numbers and letters be as strong as his interest in stories and play? Will kindergarten be an academic success? Is he regularly happy? What does Joshua like? What makes him unhappy and what is my part in his happiness and his general success?

These are important questions to draw attention to as often as parents and providers have time. The answers need to be shared. Parents enjoy providers’ insights as well -- providers need insights to the children in their care.

Last year, Steven’s teacher said he was attention deficit with hyperactivity. What can I do to help Steven focus at play? What toys can I buy that will help him desire to sit and do?

Examining homes where children play is another productive activity of ordinary time. Parents and providers who consistently find better ways to keep playrooms and play stations will find any kind of child care easier.

Ask: where and how are the toys kept in my house? Are they up and out of site or available and orderly and inviting to the children? Do I use a toy box so kids have to dig and find all the pieces, or shelving with bins so everything is always available?

What are the favorite toys? Is TV on because the toys are few, unexciting with pieces everywhere? Whose fault is that?

Personal child care goals are always a thing to think about in ordinary time. The number one question is: am I just making it through another day, or am I meeting my goals and thriving on my child care successes?

Thinking about ordinary things in ordinary times gives a kind of polish to our lives. Stopping to ask ourselves questions about self and those others we love helps make ordinary time the best time of the year.