In mid-May, I was honored to be asked by Kisha Reid of Play Empowers to make a presentation on her online conference. I was ecstatic at the prospect. I knew it would be an excellent opportunity to share my work and all I learned from my time with Magda Gerber and Resources for Infant Educarers and Dr. Emmi Pikler.
I thought it would be appropriate to call the presentation "A Piece of Our Heart." As anyone who works with children and those well into old age knows they are leaving a part of themselves with each person they come in contact with.
I study the work of Magda Gerber and Dr. Emmi Pikler since the inception of Resources for Infant Educarer. Along with a few others, I was in the very first Resources for Infant Educarers training. As you know, Magda's work is timeless. Her work encompasses all ages. In addition to very young children, we are all desperate for consistency, continuity, and respect. As far back as 1979, Magda (and Dr. Pikler before her) focused their work on the need for observation when dealing with people. All people long for a loving and respectful relationship. During Magda's address at the International Infant Conference where Dr. Pikler was first introduced to the United States, she begged the child care community for consistency and training of early childhood educators. We have struggled with this in our profession for over 40 years.
I was especially struck with this when I found myself dealing with a serious illness. Every week for months I had to visit a center for very intimate care. Much to my surprise and relief, I was scheduled the same day each week. The same doctor saw me every time; the same nursing staff cared for me. We became very close during that time. They learned of my worries and fears. I thought of our work in child caring every time I went. I even spoke to them about Magda Gerber and at the end of my time at the center, it was bittersweet. I still miss them to this day. They made me feel safe and secure. I left them with felt hearts and I told them I was leaving a piece of my heart with each of them. They were shocked at the depth of my gratitude. Child caring is even more intense. Children have no way to describe the fear and the worry when left at a center or nursery or even a new school. If we think past childhood, this applies to ourselves and our elders in nursing homes and hospitals as well.
Our work is life-changing. We have the power to make or break a child's experience while away from home. The sensitive use of our voice or our hands creates a feeling of safety and security that changes a life forever.
Infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners cry when distressed. We cannot ask them to stop, they have no concept of stopping. In 1979, Magda Gerber said never to let a child 'cry-it-out.' It is our duty to assist in every way we can. How can we successfully achieve a relationship as I described? It is very simple: observation. Our ability to observe is a skill some people come to naturally. Others have to learn the skill, often through mentors and sensitive professionals.
Through observation, we are learning about the children/adults in our care. We are practitioners. We are comforted in our caring for others. We care for the child/elder away from home and we are comforted. We give a gift of ourselves and the recipient is better for it.
During this pandemic, our work has been spotlighted. The value of what we have done, the quality of our work is finally being understood. Years 'working underground' for many of us. I say underground because we work in spite of the lack of recognition or understanding of the importance of our work. This moment in time may be just what is needed to recognize what is happening with our children. How we have to abide by rules set up by people who have never worked day-to-day in groups of children or adults. We are unsung heroes and it never made a difference; we just did it. We have people on our social media pages who have worked in the field for 40 plus years. We have people who are just beginning and we must share every ounce of knowledge with them. As observational researchers such as Magda Gerber or medical researchers the like of Dr. Emmi Pikler spotlighted the need for consistent caregivers and consistent care. Including children in conversations regarding their care and with upsetting situations give children confidence, knowing what is about to happen (as it did for me during my illness).
Together as a unit, we recognize our importance. We recognize the need to include parents in the care of our children. We recognize the interplay between home and care. We are not more learned or better than the parent, we work in tandem with families.
The following podcast is my 'authentic' presentation to those attending the Play Empowers online conference.
If you are interested in seeing the entire collection of Play Empowers Quarantine Conference podcasts, visit the link below: