Tuesday, May 09, 2017

Getting Down to Eye Level

Years back I posted this little drawing. It's about perspective.

Drawn by my then four year old friend Troy and brought to me with a smile. I glanced at his drawing, not entirely sure what I was actually supposed to see. Looking again, I saw big googly eyes and smiles. I commented to my little friend on the faces he'd drawn. He looked at the paper and smiled himself. But this little boy hadn't been drawing smiling faces at all.

When I turned the paper around the drawing's initial intent came into focus. I suddenly saw, quite clearly, what fascinates many little boys, mine included. He'd been drawing cars. Cars with wheels and windows. It was all so obvious that I laughed at myself.

The classroom at my new job is full of small children, children who desperately need a few adults willing to take a moment to turn "the paper" around and look at life from the perspective of a child. Theses little ones are barely out of babyhood, most still in diapers, and struggling to make their words heard and understood. Not all the adults are willing to get down on their knees, eye level with a child, and look at the world from his point of view. You might think daycare centers are full of people like that, but it isn't necessarily true. Some big people expect an awful lot from those little people.

12 comments:

  1. You will be a true asset to the children and your voice-workers Martha....
    Shame on anyone who can't get down and enjoy what they are offering...
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. Uh.....co-workers....voice workers? Geesh....🤓

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    2. I can promise to love the little ones, and I can attempt to love the others. ha ha!
      One more 5 hour day with G.
      :0)

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    3. Will you miss her?
      Do you think she will miss you?

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    4. Yes, there are certainly things I will miss and I will surely miss her and the others I've come to know and love up there. Of course, I can stop in and say hello if I decide to do so, but I'm not entirely sure whether she'll miss me. Perhaps, in her own way she will...

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  2. Great post! It made me smile as I looked at the cars in the second picture that I thought were faces in the first one, haha! You are going to a fantastic addition to that daycare center!

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    1. Pray for me that I go about things they right way and with a pure heart.
      :0)

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    2. And thank you. One thing is sure, God made me to love and understand children.

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  3. They sure do expect a lot. I worked at a child care center for 4 days last summer and I could not believe how regimented it was, how controlled and as you said, how much they expected from these kids who were 3 and 4.

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    1. I intend to love them. I didn't take the job to make their days miserable. I took it because children are my sweet spot.
      :0)

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  4. Enjoy your new 'flowers'. It will be such a lovely change for you! Coming into spring, having a new job is wonderful! Can't wait to hear the funny stories, as we know kids say the absolute funniest things:-) I just love the art too. Children's art is priceless........

    Marilyn from Canada

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    1. It's already been a lovely change. They are so smart and even at 2 their memories are astounding. I'm sure I will come home with plenty of stories.
      :0)

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