THE CYCLE OF COMFORT
I have a theory (one of many!) that everyone goes through something I call “the cycle of comfort.” This cycle may happen at work, in social situations, when we work out, especially in the great outdoors. For example, when you decide to work out, you go on the journey feeling excited. When the excitement starts to fade and reality sets in, you feel uncomfortable. At this point, you can either wallow in thoughts of quitting, or you can push past the feeling of discomfort and finish what you started. Move past the emotions and continue. You will eventually get back to feeling comfortable, almost euphoric, because of the experience.
This cycle of comfort is something I saw firsthand when my students ventured into the outdoor classroom each week. At first, the children would be excited. Slowly things would change depending on the temperature and our moods. They were thrilled to be leaving behind the four walls of the school on a fantastic adventure.
I recall one week in particular when the children were filled with excitement. They were curious about the possibility of ice on the creek. We bundled up in our winter gear and joyfully headed on our outdoor adventure. Things began to change once we got to the creek and set up our home base. As the children went off to play, a few of them began to feel the discomfort of the cold. Although we had so many new things to explore, the children could not get past the feeling of being cold and uncomfortable. It was as if they were frozen in place.
As the responsible adult, I could have packed everything up and headed back to our toasty warm classroom. I would have been the problem solver. I would have eliminated their need to move through their cycle of comfort. But as an educator of young children, it is my job to be a guide on the side and not a professional problem solver.
Instead of taking on the problem solver, I worked with the children as they came up with solutions. I asked, “If you feel cold, what can you do to warm up?” Slowly all of the children found ways to get back to their feeling of comfort. It wasn’t easy, and there were tears (some might have been my own). We all found ways to warm our bodies, feel a sense of comfort and enjoy our time at the creek.
If I had decided to head back to the classroom, we wouldn’t have:
spotted ice in the shallow puddles leading up to the creek.
discovered two fallen trees which we explored as we climbed on and over them.
noticed that the animals enjoyed all of the food gifts we made them.
listened to the story Don’t Wake the Bear as we snuggled with friends to keep warm.
acted out the story on our beautiful outdoor stage.
had races with our friends, which made us cheer and laugh.
practiced our self-regulation skills while reflecting on the needs of our bodies.
After our morning at the creek, we returned to the classroom, changed clothes, enjoyed lunch, and took a much-needed quiet break. After reading a chapter book, we discussed our time at the creek. Not one child mentioned the fact that they were cold or uncomfortable. Every child had a huge smile on their face as they talked about climbing the trees, racing their friends, and searching for a lost pair of gloves.
