Joy in Our Relationships

03/16/2016

Great teams hold each other accountable, not to rules, but to a standard of excellence.
Jon Gordon, Author and motivational speaker

Luis Hernandez, one of 80 experts in pediatrics, nutrition, movement, child development, and adult education appearing in the Exchange training video, Preventing Obesity and Promoting Wellness in Early Childhood Settings, made this plea in his Exchange article, "Joy in Our Relationships with Children, Families, and Each Other:"

"...the spirit of joy is like magic in the air. Everyone appears to be singing and dancing, the colors seem brighter, even the USDA-approved menu is delicious. No, you are not in a Disney film or hallucinating. You have just entered a dimension where a level of playful relationships and happy sanity reigns. While not a perfect place, the joy is evident from the moment one enters the center. Warm greetings, smiling faces, happy chaos. Palatable joy!

"Seasoned cynics will chime in: 'This is about school readiness. No time for joy!; This is important work, joy is a luxury!; A joyful day is when the parents pay on time!' Since we are people with big hearts and ready smiles, we need to show the benefits of joy. Let's share the many ways that investing in joy will increase revenue, lead to children's success, parents' volunteering at a moment's notice, staff paying for their own pizza party — and world peace!"

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