How many times do you have to tell a child to be careful of being hit by the swing? Every kid I have ever cared for is told a thousand times to not walk in front of the moving swings. A hundred times I have run at full sprint to whisk away a child about to be thrown great distances by the puddle boots of a wind-swept four year old. Still, after all those warnings and near misses kids never get it. The only way to teach a child to stay away from the end of the playset is to allow them to get hit by the swing. Yes, getting hit by the swing is not only one of life's lessons learned the hard way but a rite of passage that becomes cemented into the mind for an eternity.
Every daycare provider needs to get hit by the swing once or twice in their career. I can mentor a provider for years and tell them all the right things but it isn't until that provider feels the boots of a daycare parent that they, themselves, finally realize what all that advice meant. In short - they got hit by the swing. Getting hit by the swing is one of the seemingly worst moments in a provider's career but in reality getting hit by the proverbial swing will result in magical things. Because, as is fact, one only has to be hit by the swing once in any given situation to realize that running in front of the swing is a bad, bad idea.
I was recently hit by the swing. Mind you, this was not my first time but often providers need to be hit by the swing at least once in the many varied situations in daycare. And sometimes, just sometimes, getting hit by the swing is not a lesson but a reminder of things you already know but have been lax in applying. Getting hit by the swing puts everything back into perspective.
Yesterday I was really pissed that I was stupid enough to go running by the swing. I should have just stood my ground in the sand box. But oh, no, the temptation to run in front of the swing was far too appealing. And getting hit by that swing, although a stupid decision on my part, was the best thing that has happened to me with relation to daycare in a long, long time.
Live and learn. But live and learn and do better, take better care of YOU next time. And whatever you do, once you get hit by the swing get up and run like hell so you don't get hit again.
For concerns, advice or suggestions I welcome your email at judytrickett@gmail.com
Wonderful advice. I get hit quite often. I have learned over the last few years that these people don't care about me. I have gone above and beyond for some families and it comes back to bite me in the butt. But, you know what!? I am not going to let that stop me. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. I WILL DO GOOD ANYWAY!
ReplyDeleteI've been hit by the swing this week, and looking forward to the end of a very stressful period!!!!! Great post, as always!
ReplyDeleteI not only used to get hit by the swing, I used to sit in the dirt crying while it hit me again and again while it was losing momentum. It's been a while though. Maybe I finally learned my lesson.
ReplyDeleteAt my home daycare, I made a mulch pit (bark chips) under the swing set. The rule for the kids is don't walk across the mulch pit. And when getting on or off a swing, they must walk straight ahead to the grass, not cut across in front of the other swings. I wont say there have been no collisions, but far fewer than before the mulch pit was there. If this isn't an option, then demarking a safe-zone with a rope and pegs on the ground, or little plastic garden fencing, are also good visual reminders.
ReplyDeleteUmm, that was a metaphor....
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