December has been a magical time at Beansprouts and, as we say goodbye to 2015 and head into the New Year, I wanted to share some of those special moments I was blessed to share with Pre-K throughout the holiday season.
...Singing holiday songs for our moms and dads…Being encouraged by our parents even when we felt nervous…Our moms and dads and grandparents singing carols with us afterwards…
…Sharing leftover gingerbread house pieces with toddler friends so we could help them build gingerbread triangles…
…Exploring and learning about the holidays of December…Playing dreidel and trading pennies…Finding France on the map and leaving out stockings for treats…Making latkes to honor Hanukkah…And holiday crafts as we counted down to Christmas…
…Counting the days to the movie day…We got to wear pajamas to school and watch an amazing movie together…
…Thinking about the gifts we would give the world…Trees and sparkles and families and bells that make sweet sounds…
…Pre-K and Preschool drinking cocoa and snuggled together to watch The Polar Express…And clapping at the end when the boy finally hears the bell…
…Yearling teachers who stay late so an assistant doesn’t have to be alone…
…Toddler teachers inviting others to share a rainy morning together…Because getting through a rainy day together is always more fun than being apart…
…Infant teachers who bring elf babies up to Pre-K to show off adorable pajamas… AND
…Former Pre-K children who have graduated but come back for a hug, a quick snuggle, a quiet moment, or to share a story about something amazing that happened that day…
Those little moments we share are the true gifts of Beansprouts and children carry those gifts with them far beyond the classroom. When former Pre-K children come back to visit and run into our arms for a hug or when Pre-K has leftover materials for gingerbread houses and wonder with whom they can share it so others can be just as happy as they were building, these are the special moments we share. Little moments of love and compassion…these gifts last longer than today or next week or next month. And our children carry those gifts into the world to share that same love and compassion with others.
...Singing holiday songs for our moms and dads…Being encouraged by our parents even when we felt nervous…Our moms and dads and grandparents singing carols with us afterwards…
…Sharing leftover gingerbread house pieces with toddler friends so we could help them build gingerbread triangles…
…Exploring and learning about the holidays of December…Playing dreidel and trading pennies…Finding France on the map and leaving out stockings for treats…Making latkes to honor Hanukkah…And holiday crafts as we counted down to Christmas…
…Counting the days to the movie day…We got to wear pajamas to school and watch an amazing movie together…
…Thinking about the gifts we would give the world…Trees and sparkles and families and bells that make sweet sounds…
…Pre-K and Preschool drinking cocoa and snuggled together to watch The Polar Express…And clapping at the end when the boy finally hears the bell…
…Yearling teachers who stay late so an assistant doesn’t have to be alone…
…Toddler teachers inviting others to share a rainy morning together…Because getting through a rainy day together is always more fun than being apart…
…Infant teachers who bring elf babies up to Pre-K to show off adorable pajamas… AND
…Former Pre-K children who have graduated but come back for a hug, a quick snuggle, a quiet moment, or to share a story about something amazing that happened that day…
Those little moments we share are the true gifts of Beansprouts and children carry those gifts with them far beyond the classroom. When former Pre-K children come back to visit and run into our arms for a hug or when Pre-K has leftover materials for gingerbread houses and wonder with whom they can share it so others can be just as happy as they were building, these are the special moments we share. Little moments of love and compassion…these gifts last longer than today or next week or next month. And our children carry those gifts into the world to share that same love and compassion with others.
Ah, LOVE. It's why I do what I do...And why early childhood education is so very important.