It's Spring Break! My wife and I are lucky to be assigned a duty. Guess what? Babysitting again, of course:)
Ok, we are more than happy to do it. We want to make this one week of time meaningful and beneficial.
What is the goal? How about "Filling What's Missing"?
Those children usually live in a small-town environment with a lots of love and helps from parents, babysitters and teachers, etc. I was wondering if we should let them gain two useful expenses during that week: "Independent situations" and a "Big city environment".
Here were what we did ( Note: these experiments should be conducted under adults' supervision):
1) Using a puzzle game board to let the children understand that "life is a puzzle picture", and sometimes we need to find out what our lives have been missing.
When we play with kids, we should seize an opportunity to teach a philosophy that often kids would not comprehend by words but certainly can feel by their personal experiences.
2) Helping self, helping others, and helping each other are not only skills, but they are good habits to have.
We praised the boy when he accomplished something.
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We helped and encouraged the boy when he met difficulties.
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Letting the big sister help her little brother,
this is to let the kids learn the benefit of "helping each other".
3) Small-town kids going to DC Zoo - Yes, we found a nice sunny day this past week and took them to DC Zoo. Instead of driving our private car there, we took a subway ride. That was some kind of experience that they haven't had too often (if not at all).
a subway ride.
Being with all kinds of people can improve "People skills".
"It is dirty.. smells bad... I got a headache! ... I need a nice place to eat. ... someone pumped onto me... I just want to go home...home! I don't want to walk anymore! ", these were the complaints from our princes (the granddaughter, 5)). The little boy (the grandson,3) also exhibited some comfort when he was in a crowded, busy, noisy environment. However, not all was bad, they had some fun as you all can see through those photos.
I really think such "uncomfortable experiences are needed for young children to gain so-called "abilities and skills of adaption". Let kids know, from very young, that not all people live in an same environment - different lifestyles are the reality of this world.
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