Those who know me are very aware of my passion for ensuring that young children’s emotional wellbeing is paramount and at the centre of our daily practice and interactions.
Recently, I had the pleasure of delivering The Habit of Being Peaceful An Approach to Mindfulness; a training session focusing on supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of our youngest learners. Prior to the delivery of the session, I had a conversation with the Manager of the setting. We talked about the impact the last year has had not only on children and families but also on staff.
In more normal times, all settings face issues with absenteeism, burnout, turnover, etc. but the impact of the pandemic, and subsequent lockdown, cannot be ignored and has in some cases increased the difficulties that teams were already facing.
I reflected on the conversation I had with the Manager and decided to adapt the session to include a balance between the emotional wellbeing needs of both children and staff.
During the session, I shared the wonderful messages from The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy. “Being kind to yourself is one of the greatest kindnesses,” said the mole.
Caring for yourself while caring for children. How can we ensure there is a greater focus on self-care within our teams?
Workforce wellbeing is included in many organisational policies, but I am yet to be convinced that we actually ‘walk the walk’ and not just ‘talk the talk’. Now, more than ever, the climate in our EY settings is fundamental to ensuring staff feel supported, valued, and cared for.
Incorporating mindfulness practices within your setting not only benefits children but also enables staff to take a moment to ‘reset the button’ in a demanding day when that feeling of being overwhelmed is just lurking at the edges. Approaches that help to prevent stress, anxiety, and burnout symptoms should be actively encouraged by all, and if we think these are important for children, then are they not just as important for our teams?
There are many ways to create a culture of care within a setting and mindfulness practice is just one. Whether you choose to nurture your Kokoro, (Japanese for the heart and the mind), the Danish approach of Hygge, or a combination of many, find a way to gently let go of stress and manage the modern world. Get into the habit of being peaceful.
To discuss how you can support the emotional wellbeing of both children and staff just get in touch and let the conversation begin.
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