Tips for respecting childrenâs spaces, competence, and general existence from a preschool teacher:
Ask them, âDo you want to say hi to your auntie/grandma/cousin/dad/whatevsâ (Hint: they will be honest and this can result in a simple hello or a hug or a silly âNo!â depending how comfortable they feel)
If they donât want to hug you realize itâs not that they donât love you itâs that they donât know you/donât feel like hugging.
Just like every other person who doesnât want a hug
In the event that you need to move a child EXPLAIN TO THEM WHY and WHAT YOU ARE DOING donât just move them like PROPS they are CHILDREN and NOT props
For instance, âIâm going to move your chair over so we have room at the table for everyone!â
Or âSorry there was a person running by I didnât want you to get smushed so I had to pick you up!â
Remind them that they are people not objects using your actions
Asking children to do something they donât want to do but NEED to do often doesnât work, instead give them a choice, âDo you want to eat bok choy or yams?â
NOT âDo you want to eat your vegetables?â
âDo you want to brush your teeth in the bathroom or the kitchenâ
This exercises their ever-growing free will and is especially useful during TERRIFIC TWOS okay TERRIFIC not TERRIBLE theyâre TERRIFIC
Children will copy you, MODEL FOR THEM
Being over enthusiastic IS beneficial for them understanding emotional and social competence
âI hung this picture uneven, that makes me sad, hmmm! Oh goodie, I found my mistake! Now I can fix it, Iâll feel much happier when Iâve fixed it!â
You think it sounds ridic yeah well hearing you do that children around you just learned to not get so discouraged by their mistakes and that itâs okay to try to fix them
ADULTS CAN APOLOGIZE TO CHILDREN
You make a mistake that hurt a child, APOLOGIZE and show them how to do it properly and genuinely
Realize children are fully competent and are capable of making meanings from YOUR implications about race, culture, gender, ability, sexuality, EVERYTHING
Many three year olds know what the N-word is, what gay means, can identify which children are visably disabled, and YOUR REACTIONS of their answers of questions about their culture
Children like to talk about themselves so do not ever dismiss what they say about themselves as illegitimate just because it sounds silly or unlikely sometimes itâs true
Stop talking about how you hate children, just leave them alone if you donât understand them you donât have to be complete jerks to PEOPLE youâve never met
I will post more and if people have question PLS ASK ME I WOULD LOVE TO ANSWER WHAT I KNOW
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