Rubber faced play

When I made the move from teaching to childminding (day-care), I was given a piece of advice from a grand-dame of the business. Whilst chatting away to very little ones, I was told, be sure to move your face. In the many years since, it’s been the one piece of advice I’ve returned to time and again. Its advice that reminds me of my favourite book when I was 7, Danny the Champion of the World;

he never gave me a fake smile, because it’s impossible to make your eyes twinkle if you aren’t feeling twinkly yourself

Children need emotional context in which to understand everyday interaction. Perhaps it’s a guy thing, but I find I need to remember my face when I talk. When I do I’ve found myself understood more often and in return the younger ones seem to respond more frequently with their own thoughts on things.

When something is good my face has to open up in a toothy grin, when its grim I can over emphasise comic disgust, when it’s wrong nature has endowed me with a great big brow to furrow, surprise has to be bigger and joy more apparent. Through a little experimentation I can also disclose that full beards don’t work as well, though a good handlebar ‘tash doesn’t go amiss.

But, and this is a snag, I really must remember that if I do this to grown ups it disconcerts them (tee-hee).

tag... play, gender, philosophising