So this week, I am doing work placement at a kindergarten. This morning, one of the children was using scissors to cut up a texta. The teacher thought we should sit the kids down and talk about how you shouldn't use scissors on anything but paper. Not air, not hair (unless you're a hairdresser), not clothes, not paintbrushes...just paper. The kids started talking about how if you accidentally cut your skin, you need a bandaid, and if it's really bad, you need to go to the hospital. They all started talking about when they've needed a bandaid, then one kid, who is 4 years old, put up his hand, and said "my brother's girlfriend cuts herself." I almost started crying. What sort of world is this where a 4 year old knows about how someone is self harming. He knew what she was doing, but didn't know why. The teacher responded fantastically...she didn't have a huge reaction, but looked at him in the eye and said that he needs to make sure she's okay, and tell her how much he likes her and how she's a great person.
Just prior to that, myself, the teacher and a helper had been talking about some of the things that the teacher has heard in the time she's been a kinder teacher. Some of the things that happen in this world, that these kids have to put up with...one kid a few years ago said she was talking to her daddy and looked at him and his face was blue and he wasn't breathing...he had killed himself and the mother thought that it was best for the child to see him like that. One child's mother had a "special friend" who would come over when "daddy isn't home" and the child could do whatever they wanted, as long as they didn't go in to mummy's room when this "friend" was over. A few years later, that child's sibling was there and the mother and father had since split, and this "friend" was living with them now.
The things that these kids are forced to go through...without any say in the matter...it's just so so sad. They don't realize exactly what's happening...their minds just think that it's normal. The poor kids.
Just prior to that, myself, the teacher and a helper had been talking about some of the things that the teacher has heard in the time she's been a kinder teacher. Some of the things that happen in this world, that these kids have to put up with...one kid a few years ago said she was talking to her daddy and looked at him and his face was blue and he wasn't breathing...he had killed himself and the mother thought that it was best for the child to see him like that. One child's mother had a "special friend" who would come over when "daddy isn't home" and the child could do whatever they wanted, as long as they didn't go in to mummy's room when this "friend" was over. A few years later, that child's sibling was there and the mother and father had since split, and this "friend" was living with them now.
The things that these kids are forced to go through...without any say in the matter...it's just so so sad. They don't realize exactly what's happening...their minds just think that it's normal. The poor kids.
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