By: David Cohen
During the recent Jewish holiday, Passover, it is tradition to talk about celebrating next year in Israel. This year, we might follow that up with hoping to celebrate anywhere but our solitary homes. The following is a peek into the future, from the perspective of a preschooler.
April 2021…
It has been an amazing year! Last year was rough. My parents seemed worried and I didn’t get to visit anyone. We were home all the time and there were no friends to come over. Then, things began to change. We started seeing our friends again and got to go back to school. We got really good at washing our hands and started giving “air fives” instead of touching. Circle time is different, since we now sit on circles that are far apart. I’ve gotten really good at estimating six feet!
I heard some adults talking about “learning loss.” I’m not sure what they mean. I feel like I learned so much.
I learned about being safe and taking care of other people. Even though my friends weren’t sick, my parents explained that staying home would keep people healthy. Did you know that doctors and nurses are superheroes? I’ll never forget that. I’m in preschool, so following rules is hard. But, I will do anything to keep people safe.
I learned that my family is pretty amazing. My parents told me stories about when they were kids. We spent time drawing, looking at pictures and playing together – they weren’t even on their phones! I still don’t know how read on my own. But, I love reading with my parents. I feel like my love of books is going to last a long time.
I’ve learned how to do a lot of things that I thought were just for adults. I get to help dry the dishes. I sort the laundry, because I know which item goes with which person. I help a lot with the cooking. Now that I know how to divide things into portions, I am really good at math!
I’m glad that we can go out to restaurants again, and that the parks are open. Everyone is so much friendlier than before. My parents say that people appreciate being healthy and social. I guess if I’ve learned that, I’m doing pretty well.
– Signed a 4 year old
If these learning opportunities sound like good goals, or if you have some of your own, be sure that your daily decisions help your family to get there. There are lots of hidden moments when are kids are learning important lessons. Some we don’t even realize. Wishing you a happy and healthy year ahead. Stay safe and enjoy this unprecedented amount of togetherness.
