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Australia's Answer to Nivid
June 13, 2007
If you truly love Nature, you will find beauty everywhere.
-Vincent Van Gogh
-Vincent Van Gogh
We have been following the adventures of preschooler Nivid in India. At the 2007 World Forum in Malaysia, Judy Kynaston shared a story about Nivid's counterpart in Australia:
Four-year old Neville was taken by his family to visit the local theme park called Sea World. Due to the popularity of the movie Happy Feet, they took Neville first to visit the fairy penguins. However, after a while the parents noticed that Neville had gone missing. The parents got increasingly concerned as they looked everywhere for him without success. They even got the park security officers in on the search. After quite some time and extensive searching, the parents retraced their steps back to where he originally went missing and there he was standing �" dripping wet and clutching his backpack.
While relieved at finding him, they were anxious to know where he had been. But he was very quiet and refused to offer any explanation. The edge had now been taken off the outing so all were keen to get home. The child was very quiet all the way home and was very keen to go bed early that night. The parents, while surprised, put it down to the events of the day.
Not long after he went to bed, the parents could hear talking in his room. As they were still keen to know what had happened during the day, they went to check this out. When they entered his room, there was Neville on the floor talking to a live fairy penguin that he had secreted home in his back pack.
Judy's reaction: "I tell you this story because it reminds us all of how competent, capable, and resourceful children can be when they have a purpose and it is our job as early childhood educators to give them purpose."
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Comments (5)
Displaying All 5 CommentsMumbai, Maharashtra, India
I'm Nivid's mom, I do quite relate to what Neville did. I'm sure Nivid too would have loved to do something like this in a similar situation but would probably have demanded that we take the penguin home instead of trying to pick it up. Incidentally, Nivid is presently enjoying the Mumbai monsoon, and I just found him crouched in a corner of the parking lot, he was trying to teach a little frog the Gayatri Mantra(a hindu prayer) so that he could say it if he felt scared of the rain!Not that the frog was interested but Nivids earnestness in what he thought would be of help to the little frog was heartwarming.
Care.A.Lot ECE Training & Consulting, LLC
Gladstone, OR, United States
Not sure of the authenticity of the story, although it is touching. I do feel that every child needs exposure to opportunities for exploration and discovery. I do not necessarily feel that it is in the child's best interest to 'give purpose' to anyone. I honestly feel that it comes from through the discovery process, whether we are adult or child. I think we as parents or educators can learn from this, if anything, that safety and caring for each child in our care, is paramount. In all of the field trips I've coordinated over many years in early childhood, I hate the thought that a child - in our day of enlightenment - can still leave the 'pack' or family and is 'gone' before any adult sees the child wandering off. . .. or simply is left behind, as could occur on a tour of some sort. Odd, too, that this new friend was undiscovered all the way home. Was anyone interacting with this child? Talking about the day's events and discoveries? More than 'purpose', one important lesson here is that the parents needed to simply give this child undivided attention and maintain continuous interaction.
Ave Maria House
Tulsa, OK, United States
Cute story but a bit too implausible. According to Snopes.com, versions of this story have been circulating since 1993.
Whit PLains, United States
Children are truly resourceful. The article show that a child out of love will do whatever it takes to bring home a friend. Children are naturals in conveying their love for the planet. They certainly have a need to explore the world around them.
The article made me realize how much work I need to do as a trainer of early childhood teachers. I must stress more the need to give children more opportunity to explore.
United States
hmmm. Give them purpose? Can any of us give purpose to another? Should we? How about allow them the time and space to find their purpose?
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