As an adult, it is extremely important to provide children with several opportunities to express themselves and openly discuss topics which spark their personal interest. I believe it’s important to provide opportunities where children feel comfortable to speak freely. During an afternoon jog in the park, I stopped to take a break and observed a conversation between an adult male and a little girl near the pond. The girl noticed a blue latex balloon floating in the pond near the ducks. The girl continuously pulled on the pants leg of the adult male in order to attempt to show the balloon floating near the ducks. The girl shouted, “Oh no daddy look.” For the first few minutes, the child’s father was looking into his phone. However when the child became upset, the father quickly put his phone away and asked the little girl why she was upset. The child explained that the balloon could hurt the ducks. The father said, “no it won’t let’s go to the playground.” The little girl said, “Dad the balloon can pop and hurt the ducks. The ducks may eat the balloon and get sick.” The little girl and father walked closer to the pond and father used a stick to grab the balloon out of the water. The little girl was excited because her father listened to her and saved the ducks. She gave her father a hug and they walked to the playground.
After observing this interaction, I noticed how important it is for adults to be active participant’s in a conversation without using any type of technology device. The small child was very concerned about the balloon in the water at the pond with the ducks. The balloon could have caused harm to the ducks, fish, as well as other elements of the pond. The father attempted to distract the girl and mentioned the playground in an attempt to distract her. When the father grabbed the balloon out of the water the small girl was filled with joy and gave her father a huge hug. At that point I realized that her sense of self worth was enhanced because she was able to get her father to listen to her. As adults we need to step back from our reality and listen to children. Stepping back means not only slowing down and really listening, but also consciously shifting our minds from the immediacy of the conversation to consider it from other perspectives (Stephenson, 2009).
I have learned that providing a comfortable place where children are welcome to share their personal thoughts truly enhances learning experiences as well as creates opportunities for discovery. While discussing different topics, children learn to build their vocabulary and clear any misconceptions. Although the children of today are technology savvy, it is important for both children and adults to have conversations without the use of devices nearby. It is important to provide those opportunities for conversations and for adults to be an active listener when they are expressing their thoughts and feelings.
Stephenson, A. (2009). Conversations with a 2 year old. YC: Young Children , 64(2), 90-95.
Lady J's Blog 