How many times a day do we miss opportunities? Could we improve this number by being intentional and present?  

How often do we over think and try to control situations where the children know best? Trust them!

While enjoying some warm weather and mud play, one of our older two-year-old girls did not want to keep on her muddy underwear. She was asked to have at least underwear on.

A little bit later one of the teacher’s discovered her naked bottom and discarded undies. She was taken inside to get a fresh pair of undies so she could continue her outdoor play. I observation that she did not go back into the mud hill even though no one told her not too after being cleaned up.  She knew what she needed/wanted. Trust her! 

Also, the yearly debate of shoes on or shoes off in the outdoor classroom came up. I am a firm believer of shoes off but every year we to go through these steps. First, list the benefits of shoes off. Second listen to the arguments from teachers. Third compromise that if children want shoes off they can take them off. Fourth, watch that there are, every year, only 2-3 children who consistently want to go barefoot walking on our rough surfaces.

After trying to navigate wood chips, slippery mud, hot cement they choose keep shoes on. After cut toes, they keep shoes on. The adult conversation ceases and soon children have shoes off in the sand only except for our few perpetually shoe-less children.

What was everyone worried about? Same course of action every year! Trust the children! 

I had the pleasure of covering a teacher in the one-year-old classroom. I was sitting on the floor when child #1, age 16 months came over to see me. She “knows” me and was very busy discovering my hands and bracelet, ears and earrings. She was “talking” and responding to me. I narrated her actions and asked her open ended questions.  

While this was happening I had one eye on a 14 month old who looked skeptical about my being there. I’ll call her child #2.  Child #2 was giving me “the eye”.  After about 5 minutes child #1 was done investigating me and she walked off.

I continued to sit on the floor and before I knew it along crawled child #2. She looked at me and proceeded to mimic, action for action, what child #1 had done to me. She climbed into my lap and investigated me in the same order with the same curiousness that child #1 had demonstrated! 

This was a purely magical moment for me to realize child #2 had watched the whole interaction between child #1 and me and then she copied it! If only we would all take in these moments and get what our impact really is!

Love, love, love these moments that should make up our entire day. 

What amazed you today?

This week I am sharing a love story……….. 

The father of my husband’s best friend passed away at age 94 on March 29, 2019. He flew his final mission on the 74th anniversary of his liberation from a German POW camp. He was at home and surrounded by his family. He was a teacher, mentor and second family to us. It was an honor to know him. 

Amazingly his wife of 6 years passed away just days later! She was a shining light who came into all our lives in 2012 when “he” and “she” reconnected. You see they were high school sweethearts. WWII found them going their separate ways. They reconnected 60 years later. Both had been married and were widowed. They were married in 2013.  

They were cared for by his grandson, his wife and 2 young daughters. The love in this inter-generational household was a wonder to behold. Be like them and the world would be a much happier place!

Hold your loved ones close today (and everyday!) 

So. Much. Wonder. 

I received a very short clip of my grandson confidently saying the name of the animal on his shirt! I watched it many times. He gets right up to his Mom’s face and tries to say rhinoceros.

He is so sure of what he’s saying. I watched in wonder in this little boy’s enthusiasm and confidence.

I thought about how many times we take this away in our classrooms in order to be right or to “teach”. I wonder how to navigate the line between allowing him to just be and correcting his “error” as any adult who can say rhinoceros would hear.

Is his pronunciation wrong”? Is it funny? So such to reflect on!

His grandfather and I did laugh over and over but not to his face. What would we have done if he was with us? Would we laugh, would he laugh too or would our laughter stop him in his tracks? Would he practice saying rhinoceros again or become “silent”? 

When do I interrupt, or not? When do I correct, or leave it? When do I leave well enough alone, or get involved? If I am really seeing him and his perspective, he was confident and just fine with his pronunciation!!

He was “schooling” his Mom on what animal as on his shirt! 

So. Much. Wonder. 

I am in the third month of my wonder journal project for Wonder based teacher certification.

This week of particular note for me is the change I see in my husband. In my opinion he is a rather uptight business man with a pretty solid black/white view. There is not a lot of grey area for him. The more I am vocal about the wonder I see in my world, the more he is becoming aware of the wonder in his.

It seems we are both able to put small petty conversations/experiences aside and find something good to see/hear/discuss. This project is in fact strengthening an already good marriage!

What a marvelous unexpected turn of events as I deepen my Wonder Teaching studies this is a wonderful unintended consequence for me.

What has inspired you in your relationships today?

My husband and I were flying over Alaska when he captured this photo of the aurora.

We took a moment to drink in the beauty of nature. Our life in Alaska has opened my eyes to just how beautiful this place on earth is. I was able to seek out and surround myself with beauty in other locations I have lived but none compare to the beauty that mother nature presents in Alaska. Perhaps I have a new lens I am viewing the world through? 

How are you seeing the world today?

This was my first, last day as an adjunct for the University of Alaska, Fairbanks in December 2018.

There is so much wonder in the faces of my young and young “ish” students. Do they wonder if they have passed the course, Introduction to the Early Childhood Profession? What will they get for a grade, will they get a moment to relax before hitting the books again? These students made me wonder about myself, “What is it I want to do? Am I good at what I think I am good at?” I continue to learn from all my experiences.

Learning sure does go both ways!

How cute are these baby elephants?

“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning-Mr. Rogers”

I am opening my eyes to play through this blogging exercise and Wonder Certification course. I wonder how to awaken wonder and play in us all.

This photo reminded me that play is so powerful for all species. Play is the vehicle for all learning.

Let’s raise the bar by prompting others to play and see wonder along the way. We are all in different parts of our journey and I need to share the best parts of me now!

How will you share the gift of wonder?

How will you play today?

I was standing next to a very vocal 14 month old who was up in the loft of her classroom looking out the window demanding my attention. I immediately spotted the cow moose that she likely saw prior to me and was alerting me!

I turned to grabbed my phone for the camera. I alerted the other one-year-old children to come see while whisking a non-walking one-year-old into my arms to go to the window.

We just caught the butt end of the moose jumping the 6 foot fence! My wonder filled moment was the one-year-old calling me to see!! She made me pay attention and bear witness to this large animal so close to us!

Yay, for baby “x”! Yay, for paying attention! 

What were you privileged to witness today?

I had the pleasure of travelling to Washington, DC Feb 24-26, 2019 for he National Association for the Education of Young children (NAEYC) Public Policy Forum.

I received training in Public Policy and Advocacy and had the pleasure of visiting “the Hill” to talk about funding early education and care. There are so many people fighting for early childhood.

I am aligning myself with the folks that are elevating this career I chose and continue to choose!  Working with like minded people keeps me present and focused in the moment. I can soak in my surroundings intentionally. Surrounding oneself with people who know more than myself really ups my game and for me fires me up.

I am thankful for my early education tribe and will continue to learn from those will more skills and expertise than me. A shout out to the organizers of this event and my travel partners from the great state of AK.

Keep fighting! 

(Pictured, Child Care Now bear presented one each to our state Senators and Congressman) 

What are you “fighting” for? What fires you up?