POWER OF PLAY
It's developmentally appropriate for young children to see themselves as the center of their worlds. (Aren't they?!) As such, they believe themselves to be the cause of all that happens to them. When a five year old child fell and broke his arm, I lead a discussion of the accident with his classmates. While parents, teachers and other adults all gave him words of reassurance that it wasn't his fault, he felt deeply responsible. it was in the world of play that the next layer of healing took place.
Within days of the accident, the child turned an old wiffle ball and a rubber glove into a 'Bad Ball Bone Breaker.' He needed to shift the blame from himself to an object. The concept of accident was too challenging to comprehend. His classmates hung it on a bulletin board and shouted at it for hurting their friend.
During their time in Expressive Arts, the child and his friends would break into chants or accusations about the Bad Ball Bone Breaker hurting someone and breaking their bones. For weeks and weeks, the play went on as the boy's own bones healed.
When the child had his cast removed, he brought it to school. He put the Bad Ball Bone breaker inside the cast, stuck two rubber gloves on each end, and quickly stuffed the imprisoned object inside a silver can. Then he asked me to write on it, "The Bad Ball Bone Breaker will stay in here until he can be good."
The other children covered the can with a long piece of cloth and wrote their names on it. They, too, chanted that it could not come out until it stopped breaking bones. If it tried to escape, they had poison ribbon and other obstacles that would thwart its escape. Stories of its attempted escapes circulated amongst the children.
For another week, the Bad Ball Bone Breaker stayed inside its prison. At times, the children peeked inside. "Be careful, don't open the lid too wide, it may try to get out," they warned each other with great glee.
And then one day, the boy opened the can very wide and took out the poisoned ribbon, the goo, and all the other traps. I watched him remove the glove and stare at the wiffle ball.
"It's learned its lesson, Elyse, it's not bad anymore," said the boy. "Let's change its name, it's not the Bad Ball Bone Breaker anymore."
He thought for a moment, considering calling it Nice or Heart. Then he said softly, "I know, we'll call it Love." With that act of forgiveness, for both the ball and himself, he picked up a marker and wrote on the ball:
L-O-V-E.
Tools of peace is here to help parents build powerful relationships with their children. For free articles and tips visit our website:http://www.toolsofpeace.com
Elyse Jacobs has found delight in young children for 25 years. While formally educated in teaching, art and art therapy, she insists that the children themselves have taught her the best of what she knows to be true.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elyse_Jacobs
Within days of the accident, the child turned an old wiffle ball and a rubber glove into a 'Bad Ball Bone Breaker.' He needed to shift the blame from himself to an object. The concept of accident was too challenging to comprehend. His classmates hung it on a bulletin board and shouted at it for hurting their friend.
During their time in Expressive Arts, the child and his friends would break into chants or accusations about the Bad Ball Bone Breaker hurting someone and breaking their bones. For weeks and weeks, the play went on as the boy's own bones healed.
When the child had his cast removed, he brought it to school. He put the Bad Ball Bone breaker inside the cast, stuck two rubber gloves on each end, and quickly stuffed the imprisoned object inside a silver can. Then he asked me to write on it, "The Bad Ball Bone Breaker will stay in here until he can be good."
The other children covered the can with a long piece of cloth and wrote their names on it. They, too, chanted that it could not come out until it stopped breaking bones. If it tried to escape, they had poison ribbon and other obstacles that would thwart its escape. Stories of its attempted escapes circulated amongst the children.
For another week, the Bad Ball Bone Breaker stayed inside its prison. At times, the children peeked inside. "Be careful, don't open the lid too wide, it may try to get out," they warned each other with great glee.
And then one day, the boy opened the can very wide and took out the poisoned ribbon, the goo, and all the other traps. I watched him remove the glove and stare at the wiffle ball.
"It's learned its lesson, Elyse, it's not bad anymore," said the boy. "Let's change its name, it's not the Bad Ball Bone Breaker anymore."
He thought for a moment, considering calling it Nice or Heart. Then he said softly, "I know, we'll call it Love." With that act of forgiveness, for both the ball and himself, he picked up a marker and wrote on the ball:
L-O-V-E.
Tools of peace is here to help parents build powerful relationships with their children. For free articles and tips visit our website:http://www.toolsofpeace.com
Elyse Jacobs has found delight in young children for 25 years. While formally educated in teaching, art and art therapy, she insists that the children themselves have taught her the best of what she knows to be true.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elyse_Jacobs