How Do You See Children?

“Which of these best describes how you see young children,” asks Deb Curtis in her book, Really Seeing Children.

“Children are inexperienced, vulnerable, and often get themselves into trouble; my first priority is their health and safety.

Children say and do the darnedest things; they’re so cute and funny and always keep me entertained!

Children need me to help them develop skills that will get them ready for school and life.

Children are eager, curious, creative, and competent learners, deserving of rich, challenging experiences to develop their fullest potential.

All of these statements have simple truths to them. Yet, how we see children is not so simple. Our view of children and childhood is rapidly changing in response to the pressures of modern life, new research on brain development and learning, and the belief that many young children in the United States aren’t ready for school…

Of course we want to help children develop the skills to be successful in school, but does this focus narrow our view of children as people who need to be tested and fixed?...How I see children strongly impacts everything I do and say in my daily work. I want to make sure I…bring an enhanced view of children to my work.”

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