Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/loving-care-for-infants-and-their-families/5026342/
“I just love kids!”
This is the response I get most when interviewing potential teachers, and it is an honest one. But what do those of us in early care and education really mean, when we say this? Are we affirming our desire to help children grow to their true potential? Or, are we claiming that we love the way it feels to play, teach, and explore alongside a child? Perhaps it is a bit of both.
I agree with Donna King when she says, “I have long believed that, if I truly love something, I must be willing to let that thing take hold of my heart and change me.”
It reminds me of how I felt 25 years ago with my first full-time group of infants at Phillips YWCA Children’s Center in Minneapolis. Those infants and their families changed me. With them, I learned to swaddle, how to comfort a baby who was used to sleeping in a family bed, and what it is like to help a nursing mom schedule feedings. At Phillips, my eyes were opened and so was my heart.
Caring for infants is a unique experience, and one that lends itself to being present and taking notice. ...