How to find the good in children? Are you only looking at what they 'can't do'? Don't become an adult who only sees people on the surface.
Friends, family, partners, bosses, subordinates, or colleagues at work.
Try to think of one person who is close to you right now.
Can you immediately name five good things about that person?
Now, conversely,
things you think are 'not their strong suit',
'I wish they would do this a bit more',
or 'I want them to fix this'.
How about those?
Perhaps for some people, these come to mind faster.
Actually, I believe that this ability to decide 'where to look in a person' is a very important skill for childcare workers.
This is because, even when looking at the same child,
some people see a 'restless child',
while others see a 'child who can take an interest in many things'.
It is not the child who has changed.
What has changed is the 'gaze' of the adult looking at that child.
Unless we are conscious of it, people tend to focus on 'what is not being done' or 'problems'.
That is precisely why I want all of you aiming to be childcare workers to become people who can find the good in others.
I believe that is an important preparation for becoming a childcare worker that you can start right now.
For example,
'restless'
is a behavior that, if you change your perspective a little, can be seen as
'curious',
'interested in many things',
'having the power to take initiative'.
can be interpreted as follows.
The behavior you thought was 'stubborn'
might also be seen as
'having a strong sense of one's own convictions'.
The behavior of 'not giving up no matter how many times they are told'
might be
'the ability to persist and take on challenges'.
Even with the same behavior, the meaning changes depending on the angle from which you view it.
Changing the framework through which you view things in this way is sometimes called 'reframing'.
What is important is not to force everything into a positive rephrasing.
Do not judge the entirety of a child based solely on that one action.
Look beyond the behavior right in front of you and think, 'What is this child feeling?' or 'What kind of strengths do they have?'
I believe that this perspective is exactly the kind of strength needed by childcare providers.
And this is not something I only want to convey to those aiming to become childcare workers.
I would also like managers who have subordinates to try and think for a moment: can you immediately name 'five good things' about your subordinates?
If only their issues come to mind first, it might be your own perspective that is nurturing their 'issues' rather than their potential.
It is not you who creates the happy future for the children or the important people around you.
It is the individuals themselves.
What we can do is believe in their future, discover their potential, and continue to believe in their capacity to grow.
As a first step toward that, why not try finding five good things about someone close to you starting today?
If you have any thoughts after reading this article, or if you have any ideas on 'what is important for finding the good in people,' please let us know in the comments.
➤ To you, who are aiming to become a childcare worker: A Series
To you, who are aiming to become a childcare worker (1) - What I want to convey now, as a kindergarten director
To you, who are aiming to become a childcare worker (3) - The ability to verbalize your thoughts opens up the future