Out of the Mouths of Babes

Children are transparent. When they smile, it lights up a room. When they laugh, it is from their heart. When they cry, it is like the world is ending. When they love, they love with their whole heart. They live and breathe what they see. They are little sponges as they absorb the world around them.

I spend the better part of my days with young children in my daycare world. I see who I am by the way they act and behave. When I am smiling, happy and content in our world it is transmitted through them. When I am not? They channel those feelings as well.

I have heard my voice come out of the two-and-a-half year old that I take care of. He is a little talker. There is little mistake what he is communicating 90% of the time. He mimics everything he sees. Everything. When I see my behaviours coming out in him, it reminds me of the great impact that I have on my borrowed children. It is a huge responsibility.

Thanks to my two-and-a-half year old little boy, I am becoming better at what I do and who I am. I am grateful.

I am better ... but not perfect.

Enter (one of) my one-and-a-half year old little girls. Yesterday, she was a little bored with the tiresome routine of childplay. So she perched herself up on the love seat, took off her sock and started picking the lint out from between her toes. She was very serious as she tended to her grooming and started overseeing the actions of her playmates.

Suddenly she looked up and she was 'wearing my face' as she sternly said, "Stop!" Oh. my. gosh! That was my face and my voice on my little one-and-a-half year old little girl. It wasn't pretty.

If you truly want to see 'who you are' and the impact you are making on those you spend time with ... hang out with one and two year olds all day. They will show you the truth. Some of it isn't pretty.

When I hear my voice channelled through these small people, I am happy when I like when I hear. It is those other times that make me sit back and take notice.

I may not have performance evaluations in this role as a daycare provider. But the transparent honesty of young children is all I need to become the person that I aspire to be.