Teach them and they will teach others . . .

Here is a story “from the field” and I am grateful this parent had the chance to witness and share it with me.

To set the stage, it begins with one of my preschoolers and her teenage sister at the end of a school day. The teary eyed teenage sister came home and had a full fledged meltdown, complete with self deprecating dialogue.  My mindful preschooler responded with these words, "Oh, you are so beautiful!" She gave her older sister a lingering hug and taught her some yoga breathing and poses.  The "session" ended with our little one showing her sister how to draw the sun with her arms while saying, "Let your best light shine." 

This self-regulated 5 year old helped her 14 year old sister get to a place of emotional regulation. How this learning leaves your classroom and returns to you can be inspiring. This was one of those times.

Sharing these stories helps this movement gain traction. It is undeniable that the need for programs that support social, emotional and physical development need to carry equal weight alongside academic pursuits. I like to think of this kind of learning as the “wind beneath the academic wings.”