Be the Change You Wish to See
Lara Ritson
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It is common within our western culture for children to get a pretty bad rap. The traditional views of childhood are still very dominant in society. For example, the belief that children should be seen and not heard and that they are blank slates needing to be filled up with knowledge. Or the belief that children must respect an adult, regardless of whether the adult has earned this respect, and that as soon as a child turns 2 they are labelled as being terrible!
At Peaceful Learning we are so grateful to work in an environment that attracts people with a different way of viewing children and where it is common practice to respect a child as a free, equal human being and value childhood as a precious time in a person’s life, in and of itself.
And wouldn’t it be wonderful if all of humanity shared this belief and treated children with the respect and kindness that they deserve – imagine how different the world might be!
So with this in mind, the question arises how do we, the individuals who trust and value the child as a whole, worthy and competent being, advocate for this collective shift?
At Peaceful Learning we often talk about the importance of being a worthy role model for our children; someone who demonstrates kindness, self-regulation and respect in order to foster these traits in the child. So what if this exact same role modelling was also a powerful tool in promoting societal change?
Think about it. When we are unapologetically parenting or nannying with respect and kindness, there are so many opportunities for others to see this and learn from us. For example, if you’re in the supermarket and your children start fighting, imagine how powerful it may be for someone who has never known that there is another way, other than traditional discipline, to see you kneel down to the children, gently offer calm and clear boundaries whilst honouring their needs for emotional expression.
Each and every one of us has the power to propel a change in the way children, and childhood, are viewed. When we stand confidently in our values and beliefs, and live fully in alignment with them, we cause a ripple effect throughout the world. As the wise Mahatma Gandhi once said “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
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3 年I do remember being quite irate at an older couple who made a comment about my kids being out of control while we were shopping. We had only been in the country for 24 hours after a long haul flight, so there were elements of tiredness in my kids behaviour. They were both chasing each other, around and around the shopping trolley, so not getting in other peoples way, just mine. They were voicing their enjoyment of their self made entertainment, quite loudly, but you pick your battles. I believe I answered "They may be being loud, but they are not misbehaving, thank you very much!" It is a shame when behaviour is measured in volume rather than actions.