The Domino Effect

When I put on a Barney video, whether the children are aware what they are about to watch or not, in the bathroom or in a separate center area, in unison you will hear every child say; “Barneyyyyyyyy,” in a rather bellowing loud tone that sounds as if it has been years since they’ve seen him. It was only yesterday. It cracks me up every time.

The other thing kids do in unison is, run while screaming. It’s almost as if their physical legs are connected to their vocal chords, they can’t do one without the other. And of course this ultimately creates a domino effect until every single child is running and screaming. Thank goodness we got to have recess outside on the playground today. My neighbors may not be thanking me, but my ears are. Can you imagine twelve children running and screaming simultaneously inside a small classroom? I can. Kids need recess time like they need water, without it they become agitated, weak and cranky. Although, I sincerely do love the rain, it can’t occur during the school week from eleven to twelve in the mornings or from three thirty to four thirty in the afternoon. Can someone get this urgent message to the weather angel.

Guess what? My three year old little destroyer actually displayed some remorse and brought my heart to tears. Well, he did first punch a child directly in the stomach. And she did happen to be innocently standing still not bothering anyone, so I guess she had it coming. After he punched her causing her to buckle over, he ran away off to go down the slide. I called him over to me when I witnessed this incident with this little girl, tears rolling down her sweet little face. I held his hand while he faced her, as I explained to him how we don’t feel good when we hurt another person’s body. I asked him to show this girl that he didn’t mean to hurt her by saying “Sorry.”

That's when he surprised me.  He said sorry in the most empathetic way and proceeded to try to understand by pointing and touching her belly looking at me with questioning eyes saying “Owie?,” repeatedly. I kept saying “Yes, Owie…we don’t punch, punching hurts.” And then he petted her arm like a kitten, did a lean in shoulder head hug and began unzipping her jacket and glancing back at me and pointing again to her belly saying “Owie?” The little girl started to smile and I started to laugh. It was like watching curious George in live action form…or maybe it was Dr. Jekyll.   After we all hugged, the little destroyer sprinted off, found another child to smack on the way, grabbed a different child’s toy right out of their hand and headed into the castle slide, I imagine so he could complete the transformation back into Mister Hyde.

Another lovely day in the life of a preschooler.