As 2019 came to a close, I found myself feeling lost. Very very lost. More than I had ever remembered feeling ever before. Typing that is very scary... but why? Lost isn't shameful. Thank you, Brene Brown.
TL:DR Listen to the post below:
This moleskin notebook contains my heart. In it are my thoughts and the okayest renderings of many concepts from the past couple of years. It includes notes and doodles depicting nearly all that I've learned and explored since January 2020. This moleskin notebook contains the essence of who I was, am today, and will become.
In January of 2020, I took a job as a nanny, a decision I was... content with. An opportunity out of my comfortable social bubble. I anticipated meeting new people; the friends, neighbors, family, even colleagues, and classmates of each family member. Then the pandemic happened upon us and the world shut down. These dreams of a new community and new connections quickly disappeared.
Instead, I found myself and discovered a new, greater appreciation and passion for childhood and child development. Soon connecting its trends to cultural nuances found in both the physical and social spaces of the "adult" world. I delved into this subject in ways that I'd never even considered before. I learned concepts and methods that I'd been blind to during all my years "in" developmental and "educating" spaces. But they'd been there the whole time, hiding in plain view. I was introduced to the concept and method known as "Peaceful Parenting." I mentally rolled my eyes, went home, and immediately began to research.
I found books, podcasts, Ted talks, blogs (you name it). that would open my eyes.
I adopted, then adapted this, and similar methods and strategies to best suit my relationship and interactions with the children I care for and interact with.
And so, I'll leave you with this: Children are the future. And if they aren't, then I don't know what is. Keep them in mind when you read my words. Keep them in mind when you read anything. Keep them in mind when you remember your own childhood and when you do everything that you do in your life now. Keep your own childhood in mind when you interact with kids today. Because they matter more than you might care to understand, and their experience may have a tremendous impact on yours. CHILDREN ARE CHILDREN AND THEY ARE ALL EQUAL.
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