https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oelgh3lemc
As someone who is a regular Facebook user, I see a lot of weird and wonderful videos on my timeline on a daily basis but this one has to have been my favourite by far. This child is having a conversation with her mum after her parents have gone through a divorce and her depth of enlightenment and understanding of the world is quite incredible.
She talks about how she wants “everyone to be steady” and in line with her heart. This is a great example of how at this age children may not know words for what they are trying to describe, in this case compassion, but can more often than not explain what they mean much better than any adult could. She talks about how much better the world would be if everyone smiled and if everyone could be friends. This message is so heart felt and is so important to remember when we are currently seeing a lot of hatred and violence around the world.
My favourite line that the child keeps repeating is, “I’m not trying to be mean” because it shows that she understands that people can try and enforce their opinions on others in a mean way but she is trying to achieve the opposite.
She then goes on to talk about how “everyone’s heart is something” which shows that she has strong morals about equality and everyone being seen as unique and having something to offer in the world. There is a constant theme in her argument that if she can do something, like smile or be nice, then everyone can because we are all the same. Her idea that everyone in the world would be monsters if we weren’t friends is such a powerful statement.
Have adults forgotten the importance of smiling? Have we as a society forgotten how to be friends? Are there people who have turned into monsters? What would the world be like if everyone kept it “steady” and “in line with the heart”?.
Children have so much to teach us.
Great post! I think that what it does show is that the affective aspect of the young child can be surprisingly well attuned to what is going on. Being open and honest with them about feelings and how they feel can be really beneficial for them. Something to really think about when leading the holistic well-being and development of a class.
I really loved this post. It touched my heart. Possibly because my parents are in the process of a divorce and I see them unhappy so often. In a way I wish I could just tell my Mum all these things and solve everything. But I’m definitely not that cute! Thanks for sharing this, I really enjoyed your analysis of what she meant through her words.
Thank you Rachel. Sorry to hear you are going through this. I agree that it is easier to relate to things that mean something to us on a personal level and yes she is very cute!
What a lovely video! This really shows how children can grasp and understand difficult ideas when they are supported to work through them. Thanks for sharing!
I really enjoyed this post. It was very heart warming to hear this little girl expressing her views in such a clear way and it shows us that children know and feel much more than we sometimes give them credit for. CofE is all about child centered learning. We should be listening to the children in our class more and responding with lessons built around what is right for them as individuals.
Thank you. I completely agree with you. Children have so much to teach us and our busy lives sometimes mean that we forget to stop and listen to the wisdom that they have to contribute to every day life.