You know that feeling when you meet someone who totally gets you- they see you. There is nothing like someone who gets who you are and what you bring to the table.
Last week I was with a lovely group of Early Childhood Professionals in Rutland, Vermont. We were discussing Developmentally Appropriate Practice for Infants and Toddlers. I asked participants in their small groups to discuss how they would explain DAP to someone outside the ECE field, and they couldn’t use the words developmental, appropriate, or practice. Each group came up with very thoughtful explanations.
As the groups shared, I listened to understand their point of view. Listening to understand, not to respond, is an essential skill. As I listened, I kept being pulled toward the word seen- that a child feeling seen, their family feeling seen, was the key to relationship building, which is the true purpose of DAP.
When we truly see a family, we view them without judgment. We understand their family culture, how they move through the world, and how they meet the needs of those in their family unit. When we see a child, we value everything about them. We understand that the way they approach the world is unique to them. We don’t see them as parts, but as a whole human brought to us to teach us something about ourselves.
In a world that focuses on productivity, be the person who pushes against that narrative. Be the person who listens and is present. Be the person who shuts down others when they complain about a child (or their family). Be the person who sees and values everything that child brings to the table. Be the person you needed when you weren’t seen.
