My thanks to Keri Khalighi (RIE Mom extraordinaire) for sharing this poem and so much other wisdom and beauty. www.wayoftheelements.com
Slow down.
And then slow down a little more.
When you do that, you allow for children to find their own way, make their own meanings, and grow. And you get to feel…really feel…your own feelings along the way.
It can be hard to watch your child come to snack, again and again, refusing a bib or to get his hands washed again and again, so missing out on banana again and again.
And so satisfying to see when he is finally ready, he joins in wholeheartedly.
It’s hard to wait, but you teach your child that you trust them to listen to their own hearts.
It can break your heart to watch your child, who is so interested in others, burst into tears when he gets too close to another child or when that child makes a loud noise.
And so joyful to watch him develop to the place where he plays freely with others.
We want to smooth out all the obstacles for children, but it’s so rewarding to watch them figure it out, all on their own.
It can make you anxious when you see your child roughly take a toy from another child.
And you can feel your shoulders come down when they gently offer another toy in exchange.
Being human, learning give and take, takes a lifetime. We all make many mistakes along the way.
It is hard to watch your child hesitate to join an activity with other toddlers…or struggle when she can’t get onto the swing.
But when you sit with that discomfort, you let your child learn to stretch through their own discomfort.
And that’s a gift that will serve them for the rest of their lives.
RIE classes are a space for children to learn about the world, about themselves, and about others. RIE classes are also a safe place for parents to explore their own impulses and worries, hopes and expectations. There’s time and space for both. All we have to do is: slow down.