Today the children were in the block area wanting to build and using the big dump trucks loading them and dumping them. “You can’t drive here said Eve there is a bag accident on the freeway” Cameron drew his big truck back and seemed to be deciding if her would just try to ram through or discuss it. “An accident on the freeway? Commented the teacher, to both children. “A big bad one Eve says solemnly, all the cars are stopped and you can’t go around” “I want to go through,” says Cameron. “Do you know a short cut?” asks the teacher. “No! says Eve, We can’t get off, we can’t go around, we are stuck. “How can we get to the people who need help” asks Cameron? “My big truck could get people out we could put them in the back.” I know I’ll build a big wall and we can go around it, says Cameron. OK people we’ll get through this mess!” “Where will we take the people?” “Oh yeah off the other way.” The children get busy maneuvering the big trucks around the tall tippy wall gathering up stray blocks and wooden people and working their way out of the big freeway accident.
There is an accident on the freeway, we’re running late, we’ll never get home tonight! Children are learning every moment they are learning as they sit with you in traffic and when you are more focused on getting the laundry done then on them. That is how life works they watch and wonder and try to understand and make sense of their life experiences. At first the children were not quite sure what they wanted to do in the block area but Eve’s idea was something they had experienced and been thinking about so it sparked an opportunity to think through the real life experience on the play mode. Nothing bad happened to these children in a previous accident, nothing important was triggered but the interested in the world they live in they want to understand so they ask if they are lucky they get good answers aligned to what they can take in and comprehend. Sometimes we are thinking about something else and don’t respond which is ok it is ok to sit with ones thoughts occasionally and it is good to have accurate information to diminish misunderstandings and confusion the young brain is so adapt to jump to and easing anxiety that could arise. All strengthening the child’s growing belief that life is reasonable, interesting and full of surprises, just as it should be.
