I always find a reason for wonder, whether it’s positive or not.
My life is made up of moments of amazement and the pauses between them.
Now, let’s marvel together, in case you’ve also encountered moms/dads who, on every vacation, ask how much their child has progressed in the last semester. 😊
As if, after kindergarten, they are preparing for admission to a prestigious university 😊
I’m not saying the question isn’t normal, after all, who decides what normality is?… 😊
However, considering that kindergarten is the first contact with society, with people other than family members, I think it should be about social contact, human interaction, and perhaps about getting to know people different from your child.
Kindergarten isn’t about how many languages the child has learned the alphabet for, about calculations I don’t know which, or formulas for geniuses.
Perhaps it should be about “please, thank you, excuse me,” the foundations for raising children who will benefit from healthy relationships, not just theoretical knowledge.
From kindergarten, a child can learn to coexist and relate properly with others, but they need good guidance, from parents and educators.
They don’t differentiate between other children and are most open to accepting everyone as they are, regardless of where they come from or what issues they might have, unless their innocence is tainted: “Don’t play with X because… or Y because…” Sadly, such cases do exist.
I was moved by a situation that also prompted me to write this text.
When asked what gift she would like to receive, a little girl about 4 or 5 years old answers: a doll that is like her friend.
Hmm, what is her friend like? That’s the first question.
And the little girl explains that her friend is missing a leg, and her mom always carries her, or when she plays with her, she sits in a wheelchair, just like she would want her doll to.
Wow, it’s quite a tear-jerking story, I might say.
It seemed to me a fantastic life lesson and a push for inclusive education.
I start searching for dolls with mobility issues, without arms, legs, and who would have thought they are so hard to find, almost nowhere to be found, except somewhere in Switzerland, a game that represented an orthopedic hospital.
The little girl’s wish is fulfilled, thanks to her friend, otherwise, how would she have known that she wanted such dolls?
Now I ask you,
What if through such toys, through a series of activities, we could teach children that there are also people who can’t see, can’t hear, who move in wheelchairs, or who knows what other particularities they might have?
We could talk to them about this topic, in their language, from when they are small, to prevent discrimination and to contribute to building an inclusive society.
What do you think is the most important lesson a child should learn in kindergarten?
#Accessibility_is_not_a_luxury and it doesn’t start at adulthood. Accessibility begins with the education process of a young child.
