Today my class was full of insane energy! From the moment the door opened until the time parents came it was a whirl wind of my head spinning in every direction to see who was where … Whose was screaming? Was it a play scream or a hurt scream? Who hit who? Was it an accident? Or on purpose? How did the child fall? We’re they pushed ? Who pushed them? Why? Who had the toy first…. They both could not have had it first? Wondering why all my cabinets were open? Reminding them it was not snack time and we don’t eat snack courage it on the floor…

I wanted to get to story time… I wanted to do a craft…. I wanted to dance and sing. Why couldn’t I get them to do what a wanted!

I found myself in a place today I did not like. I was running around…. Fixing the problems.

Than I realized today was an opportunity, I did not have to stay with my plan. Today the children were redirecting me to a new lesson plan.

I took a deep breath and I looked around the room at where I could work on other social skills. I watched each child and each personality. I watched the children who were running aimlessly and worked on where they could run without hurting others. I worked with the observers and helped them find a place they could play but still observe and feel safe. While encouraging my observers into the group play. We worked on our voices and how to be heard in an effective way without losing childhood excitement.

Running, jumping, being loud and full of energy is childhood. My job is not to discourage it but to help find the time and place to use it.

We did not do art ,we did not read ,we did not sing… But we played…. I learned that today’s plan went the way it should have gone.

Tomorrow will be a totally different day…. But we will take it as it comes.

This is why I love childhood!