Words of a Child

 

by John C. Westervelt

 

     As a weekday preschool volunteer, I listen to the words of a child.  I have found that the words of a child are insightful in their simplicity.

 

     As the three-year-olds helped make pudding, Miss Sue asked, “Where does milk comes from?”  A little girl answered, “From the refrigerator.”

 

     We have a battery powered toy mixer that we get out occasionally.  Kyndall said, “Grandpa John, would you get the mixer so I can make a pie cake?”

 

     I pulled up a chair beside a three-year-old boy in time-out and asked, “What are you in for?”  The boy put out his hands, palms up toward me, and shrugged his shoulders.  I told him I would talk to the warden.  Of course, he didn’t understand any of my conversation, but seemed pleased that I stopped to visit.  A little later, Miss Jan knelt beside him, asked him to look into her eyes, and said, “Remember we don’t wrestle.”  Time will tell if he remembers, for he didn’t remember this same lesson given last week and the week before.

 

     I was helping Annie in the three-year-old class with some paper on the easel so she could dot stamp blue and green.  She leaned her head back, looked into my eyes, and softly said, “I love you, Grandpa John.”

 

     A Thanksgiving note from three-year-old Adison.

“Grandpa John –

     I am thankful for you and how you open the door for me.

     Thank you for having a tea party with me.

     Thank you for helping me put my things in my cubby (their personal shelf where they put art work to take home).

     Love, ADISON”

     Of course, Kendra, the mom, wrote the note except for the large signature.  It is evident that Kendra has listened to what her daughter has told her about preschool.

 

     Each four-year-old boy had on a unique Halloween costume.  Five of the girls were princesses, each with a different color dress.  It looked like girls ready for their high school prom.

 

     To celebrate Chance’s being star of the week last week, his mother brought Halloween donuts for the four-year-old class.  Conversations flowed among the five children at each of three round tables.  Chandler told his friends, “I sure am enjoying this.”

 

     In the four-year-old class we made a valentine by pasting a heart on a piece of construction paper and making lace around the heart with white reinforcement small donut shapes that are designed to reinforce the holes on notebook paper.

     Kole asked Rylan, “May I have some more little circles?”

     Rylan said, “Here are some.”

     Kole said, “Thanks,”

     Rylan replied, “No problem.  That’s what friends are for.”

 

     Two boys in the four-year-old class were coloring side by side at the table when one said to the other, “You are my friend.  You would never breakup with me, would you?”

 

 

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