I had the most inspiring conversation with a newer friend recently about how important our Christian weekday programs are for our communities. (If you haven’t listened to the podcast episode with Emilie Flaherty yet, HERE is your link.) Please hear me loud and clear – the work you are doing is ETERNALLY significant. You’re doing so much more than wiping a snotty nose (although there are a few of those right now!), or tying another shoe or opening another go-gurt or applesauce pouch. You’re showing them an image of Christ!
Every time you hold an upset child in your lap, you are modeling to them that someone wants to comfort them when they are hurting. You’re building neural connections that create healthy attachment skills. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
Every time you meet a physical need for a child – feed them, change them, etc), you’re showing them that their needs will be met. (Philippians 4:19)
When you laugh and play with children, you’re showing them that you enjoy being with them, that you delight in them. (Psalm 149:4)
As you give grace for mistakes and mess-ups and offer a do-over, it becomes a little easier to believe that there might be a great big God who also loves them with an everlasting love and offers grace and mercy for sin. (Ephesians 2:8)
But that’s not even all that you do!! Don’t underestimate the power of looking a set of parents or grandparents in the eye twice a day. You have the opportunity to share a smile, to share some hope and encouragement with young parents who are often overwhelmed, anxious and worried that they’re not “doing it right”. You have the privilege of easing the burden of some grandparents who are doing the best they can to support their adult children in helping to raise their grandchildren. When you take an extra second to offer concern or an encouraging word, you are often binding the wounds of the broken and weary. Your love and care is sometimes the brightest light in an otherwise heavy day.
It seems like a heavy responsibility doesn’t it? You…helping children SEE God. You…being part of God’s good plan for parents and grandparents. Here’s the deal, though. God doesn’t ask you to do any of this alone. He is with you. He is clearing a path for you. He has actually planned these good things specifically for you! (Ephesians 2:10) Step with confidence and intentionality into each moment that the Lord places before you. Ask Him to equip you, to fill you with His Spirit, to guide you, to give you courage when you need it. He will do it. Because He delights over you; He strengthens you; He holds your hand and will rescue you too.
At ECCN, we truly believe working in this area of ministry is God’s calling on our lives for this season. We believe God is drawing an entire generation of young parents and children toward Himself through us! We want to be part of the team that encourages and equips you too! Would you let us know how we can help?
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
Hey Reader!
From the moment a baby is born, the brain undergoes rapid development, forming one million neural connections every second (ZerotoThree.org)! Positive interactions during this period of development significantly impact a child’s emotional and cognitive growth. As caregivers, creating a nurturing environment is key. Simple things like responsive caregiving, where a caregiver promptly attends to a baby’s needs, build a sense of security and trust. This secure attachment becomes the…
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Tis the season to be….sniffling! Have you ever noticed how quickly you can start feeling those sniffles come on? Early childhood educators are exposed to So.Many.Germs. All the time. We typically hold children close (especially, those who aren’t feeling their best); We’re the ones who wipe noses and try to catch sneezes from afar – who am I kidding? Those sneezes and coughs land all over us every single day! So what are some things YOU can do to keep yourself healthy during this…
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Time. It’s something we cannot get more of! We’re all gifted exactly the same amount of minutes every day. Today, I just want to share one idea that I hope you’ll consider as you keep working on being a rockstar early educator!
Look at your daily classroom schedule for your students – you have one right? (If you don’t, then stop here and get that done. Your students need routine!) Now, make a copy of it and document what you and any co-teacher, assistant teacher, floater, etc are…
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Infants and toddlers communicate through their behaviors, and being attuned to these cues is vital. Pay attention to their expressions, respond to their babbling, and engage in interactive play. Sometimes, we refer to this “back-and-forth” conversation as “serve and return” – think of it like tennis, volleyball or ping pong (or maybe even pickleball)! One person starts the conversation (serves) and the other person responds (return).
Here is a great example of this with a father…
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The term “risky play” has gained some attention over the last few years in the world of early childhood development. Our natural instinct is to protect our little ones from potential harm, but research suggests that allowing controlled, purposeful risk-taking can be a crucial component of healthy development. “If we want children to be prepared for risk, we need to allow them to come into contact with risk.” says Prof Rolf Schwarz of Karlsruhe University of Education, who advises…
Hey Reader! In a national parent survey conducted by zerotothree.org, 43% of parents that were surveyed thought children should be good at sharing by around age 2. In reality, the skills of sharing and taking turns begin developing around ages 3-6 when children begin to assert power over their environments (you can read about Erikson’s Theory HERE). This is the time where they really begin to start making friends and playing cooperatively rather than just next to each other (parallel play)….
