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10/21/2021

Strengthening Caregivers’ Self-Awareness

You will face many defeats in life, but never let yourself be defeated.
Maya Angelou

“Helping a child to make constructive, independent choices toward self-disciplined creativity depends very much upon genuine, full, and caring respect for that child…Such respect cannot be accomplished without a very real knowledge of child development, as well as the personal caregiver qualities of inner security, integrity, and self-awareness,” writes Sally Cartwright, in her article, “Caregivers of Quality,” that is included in the Art of Leadership book, Developing People.

Rusty Keeler, in his popular book, Adventures in Risky Play: What is Your Yes? offers support for early childhood practitioners in developing more of the self-awareness Cartwright describes. Keeler encourages well-meaning adults to contemplate ways they may be stifling children’s “self-disciplined creativity.” He writes: “I say this all with love and support…It’s time to question some of our pre-conceived notions about the adult’s role in children’s play. And adults ruling children’s play…

Keeping children safe is one of the most important parts of our job as adults…[and] opportunities for measured risk-taking can create more able-bodied and self-assured children who will be better equipped to live safer lives in the long run than if we overly protect them.”
 
 
 


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