Sometimes all a child needs is for their grown-ups to slow down and take the time to actually:
- See what they’re showing us,
- Hear what they’re asking us,
- Respond authentically to what they’re doing.
When children’s behaviours are bouncing off the walls, or it seems like they’re doing things “just for our attention” (a toxic idea), they want us to stop, look, and listen to them. They ARE doing it for our attention, but that’s not a bad thing! Children deserve our attention! They don’t have the skills or language yet to get our attention in other ways!
All behaviour is communication. It’s our job as educators and grown-ups raising children to figure out what that behaviour is telling us.
This one was inspired by a piece over at Raised Good, which puts it beautifully.