It is hard to begin when it feels like we keep setting the world on fire in different places, in different ways and all at once. The very first broadcast from Radiococo Imagination Station was on the topic of redirecting aggression/ frustration. One year later, my 5 year old reminded me of the same:
I love that he kept the energy of a competition (the thrill, the excitement, the sweet, sweet goal at the end) but reminded us all that it can be done with gentleness. Because it’s all fun and games until someone yells, “YES, I AM THE WINNER!” and I watch as it takes the rest of the class all of 2 seconds to transform into baby hulks.
It can be tempting to rush in to de-escalate, throw a blanket phrase “be kind/gentle”, and repeat ad nauseam because 50% of preschool classroom time is really just conflict management. It took months and months of practice, and now I wait and watch. As long as no one is in danger, I don’t jump in to defuse or put out their fires for them. Instead, I want them to recognise and feel their anger and frustrations, and I ask them, “what’s your plan?”. Because that’s how life is, it is messy and complex and nuanced. But, more importantly, I want them to learn how to redirect it constructively because constructive anger propels change.
And goodness, do we really need that right now.
Thank you for tuning in and for sticking around!
This month's play-list:
A digital clock assembled from views of Earth from above that resemble numbers!
constructive anger propels change - thank you for this fongyee!