Reflections on Nurturing Strengths: A Holiday Guide for Early Learning and Care

December is an impactful month; holidays, end-of-year responsibilities and reflections, and for some, a sense of anxiousness about time constraints, finances, and balancing it all.

As we approach the holiday season, the joy of giving and receiving often inspires reflection. Each of us possesses inherent strengths that, when nurtured, allow us to positively influence our own lives and the lives of others. These strengths: choice, universal principles, and natural intelligence, are foundational to creating environments where children and educators alike thrive.

The Gift of Choice

Choice empowers us to shape our responses to life’s challenges. From our perspective as mentors and leaders in childcare, creating an environment where educators and children feel confident in their ability to make decisions is transformative.

Guide your staff to recognize how much independence their children can handle and encourage them to prepare an environment for which independence can be scaffolded. By doing so, you will lay the groundwork for a lifetime of positive choices.

As Eleanor Roosevelt once said,

“I am who I am today because of the choices I made yesterday.”

Universal Principles in Action

The principles of human behavior, such as kindness, respect, honesty, personal integrity and service to others, are at the core of every culture on our planet. By tapping into an established, societal value system to guide our lives, we are making a concerted choice to embrace positive universal principles.

These universal principles guide our daily interactions and set the tone for how we support each other. Hire when universal principles as a factor in your decision to onboard a new employee onto your team.

Embedding these values in every aspect of care – whether during team meetings, speaking with parents, or when engaging with children – ensures a nurturing environment for all. Supervisors have the unique opportunity to model these principles, creating ripple effects that extend beyond the classroom and into the wider community.

Nurturing Inborn Intelligence

Each individual – child, educator, or supervisor – has a unique blend of physical, emotional, intellectual, and social capabilities. Recognizing and celebrating these intelligences enriches our approach to early learning and care. By fostering curiosity and encouraging diverse ways of thinking, we help children and educators unlock their potential. Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences reminds us that everyone learns differently, and as leaders in childcare, embracing this diversity strengthens our teams and classrooms.

Seasonal Inspiration for Childcare Centres

The holiday season offers a special opportunity to connect and engage in meaningful activities. Here are some ideas to share with your teams and families to encourage learning and joy during this time:

• Host a centre-wide donation drive for a local charity and involve children in the process.
• Organize a cultural exploration day where families can share traditions and stories from around the world.
• Encourage staff to read and discuss a children’s book that highlights themes of kindness and giving.
• Support children in creating handmade thank-you cards for their families or community helpers.

By nurturing the gifts of choice, values, and intelligence, we help create spaces where everyone feels valued and supported. This season, let us continue to inspire one another to make choices that bring happiness and fulfilment to our lives and the communities we serve.

Happy Holidays!

Gregory