Walters – observing and knowing children

We really keenly observe the children and that’s part of when we have in our primary care giving groups we are able to see the children’s progressions over time so that we know what they’re capable of and we can see the agility and the skills in a child and know when to be closer and when to give more space or when to set a boundary or when to allow for things to happen. 

This morning children were up in the tree house and they like to go to that place to get away and to I think feel like they’re on their own in the yard. They’re up high and they have sort of a bird’s eye view of what’s going on in the yard but also they’re away from the adults. 

And I heard something happening up there where I wasn’t sure if there might be a bit of a conflict erupting. I so got a little bit closer and I listened,  and then just having that proximity lead me to listen to what was happening as well as to see children’s faces and then I gave them that space by moving back and retreating and just watching from afar.