Birthdays
Our birthdays are feathers in the broad wing of time. —Jean Paul Richter, author
Bad Guys Don’t Have Birthdays by Vivian Paley reiterates the power of birthdays as wielded by preschoolers. Woeful is the child who is confronted with the ultimate exclusionary comment: “I’m not inviting you to my birthday!” Birthdays can be a rich source of study about similarities and differences among families. In the classroom, consider asking families to share stories surrounding the day of their children’s births to shift the focus away from the idea of presents and snacks. In one class, families were asked to create timelines of their children’s lives that included one photograph for each year. What a great way to celebrate the growth and development of each child. How might you create more meaningful celebrations of birthdays in your setting?
In loving memory of Gryphon House author Leanne Grace, MEd, we are sharing pieces of her inspirational writing every Wednesday. Leanne was the director of professional development at Hildebrandt Learning Centers and a lifelong advocate for early childhood education. She inspired the early childhood community to prepare children as lifelong learners with her ability to find the extraordinary in the ordinary. One person can make a difference, and Leanne did just that. She will be sorely missed.
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