Do you remember recess? It's been years since I went to recess. Until Monday. On Monday, I went to recess while volunteering in Addison's 4K class.
Do you remember what happens at recess?
Well, I saw it on Monday. Some kids fit right in. Some don't. Some kids choose to play alone. Others don't. Some kids choose to play with the crowd, but never feel a part of the crowd.
I saw it on their faces.
As I was sitting there building a sand castle with Addison while desperately trying to not get sand in my jeans and TOMS, I saw it on their faces.
I saw Natalie. She was playing in the sand fifteen feet from us. Then Addison saw Natalie. She invited her to build with us. I wish I could show you a picture of Natalie's face at that moment. She did not stop smiling or talking the rest of recess as we collected sticks and rocks to decorate our castle. She was in heaven in the sand. She almost made me want to roll around in the sand. Because of a simple invitation, recess went from lonely to fun.
I saw another girl. She was walking around looking at everyone. She was curious. Now, who really knows what's going on in the mind of four year olds. But, I thought, "Has anyone ever asked her to play?"
I saw the girl who ran up to me as though we had been best buds for years. She was in a higher grade. She immediately began telling me all about the playground, the soccer field, where the best sand was, and how to get a frisbee. She invited me to come play with her friends...or at the least the group she ran up to and began giving instructions to.
I saw the boy who asked for three frisbees before someone shared. He wasn't a bully. He just wanted to play.
I saw flashbacks of Peyton in kindergarten last year. "I hate recess." My girl who loved everything about school hated recess. She was afraid. All of our fears can come true at recess. Rejection. Lonliness. Failure. Physical Activity. Unmonitored conversation.
As I walked away on Monday, I thought, "I am so glad I got to go to recess". And, I decided two things:
I am glad my kids have recess. What life skills would they be missing out on learning without recess? In that 15-20 minutes, kids have the opportunity to engage in so much. They have the opportunity to make wise choices and poor choices. They have the opportunity to work through conflict. They have the opportunity to grow in the midst of their fears. They have the opportunity to be selfless or selfish.
I must teach my kids to look up. How can I teach my kids to love other kids at recess? What an opportunity our kids have to love--everywhere they go--but, at recess, with no rules of engagement, no forced inclusion, the opportunities to love are endless; the opportunities to see someone and include someone are endless. If my kids can learn to love at recess, they could change the life of someone else. And, they will fully enjoy the experience [recess] themselves.
As I walked in, I became even more thankful for the teachers and other staff and volunteers who love our kids each day, who show no bias as they teach and challenge and push our kids to treat others well! They amaze me--their patience, their diligence, and their intentionality to love and teach our kids to love.
If we, as parents, are willing to partner with our schools and partner with our teachers...maybe we can change recess for a few kids, maybe we can change forever for a few kids.
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