Shakin Bones Time…”Stop Running, you’ll get hurt” “Use your inside voice” “We Don’t Hit Our Friends” are statements I often hear in early childhood settings I visit. Where did these ideas come from? Do they really support what children need and want? My presentation recently at MiAEYC invited people to look at various actions they do with children and ask them to make changes. Here are some of the questions to consider?
Where did we get the idea that young children should be learning academics?
Where did we get the idea that clean up time will help young children be more responsible?
Where did we get the idea that books should be read at group time?
Where did we get the idea that children should, “use their walking feet?”
Where did we get the idea that “inside voices” are better than “outside voices?”
Where did we get the idea that “sharing” children are better than children who decide not to be “sharing?”
Sometimes adults, who work in Early Childhood settings, continue to practice experiences with children without really asking themselves, “Is this appropriate?” “Does this really encourage development” “Why am I doing this?”
We should be asking ourselves when children leave your program, what memories will they have?
Ask yourself more, What the Hell?
