|
Order
in a child’s life
|
|
Parents
often laugh when I talk about how important it is for
a child to have order in their life, a love of order
is not a characteristic usually associated with small
children.
Think of
how bewildering life is for a child who understands
nothing of the facts of space, time, number or cause
and effect. The need for order helps the child in
forming an inner framework to deal with and understand
these concepts. A young child often displays an almost
passionate interest in the order of things and is
sensitive to objects and their relationships to other
objects. The young child has a joy of seeing things in
their accustomed place, and can throw tantrums when
they are not.
|
|
|
|
Disorder
disturbs and upsets a young child.
A child
needs routine; we can see this especially at bed time,
they need to know what is going to be happening. Parents
are often advised to keep to the same routine
every
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
evening.
Routine at other times of the day is also helpful.
Talking through what will be happening with your child
helps them to be prepared.
Major tantrums can be
caused when a perceived order has been changed, like the
car seat is on the other side, or a jumper is put on top
of a child’s pj’s, when a visitor sits at the
table in a place that another family member usually
sits, or when furniture has been moved. Be aware of the
need for order, when a child is uncontrollably upset for
reasons you can’t understand, look for disturbances of
order through their eyes.
To help us as adults understand the child’s need,
let us imagine a surveyor going out to make a map of a
new country. After weeks of work, a mountain that he
took for granted as a fixed basis for further research
changes place, what confusion!
This passion for order can be seen clearly by an
adult who has tried to play hide and seek with a young
child. The child may hide behind a chair and as you come
to look they will squeal with delight, and when they
hide again it will be to the same place, and when it is
your turn, they will look behind the chair and be
disappointed if you are not there, this order is their
delight in finding a person or thing in an agreed upon
place even though it is out of sight. |
|
|
-
- free
monthly newsletter
- If
you are looking for ideas,
- places
to visit around New Zealand
- then
subscribe to our
- FREE
Monthly Newsletter
|
|
|
|
Tia
Wooller is a published author and has the following
qualifitions (AMI Montessori diploma (1985) Ireland. Equiv. Dip. Early
Childhood Education. (1995) Auckland College of Education.
|
|
|
|
|
|
