Helping Children with Times of Separation
Thoughts for the Week:
As we think about difficult
childhood experiences, so many of them include times when a child has to endure
separation from an adult he or she loves and trusts. When children know ahead
of time what's going to happen - and not happen - they have a chance to prepare
themselves for what's coming. They can think about it and get used to their
feelings about it. Encouraging children to do this kind of rehearsal through
play is an important way to help them manage new experiences. Pretending about
going away and coming back, for instance, can give children the chance to work
on the feelings they may have about separation, whether it's the brief separation
of a naptime or the longer separations that come with being away from home.
-- Fred Rogers
Summary of the Week:
An ambulance is one of many vehicles featured in
this week of programs. One reason vehicles have such a fascination for
children is that so often it's a vehicle of some kind that takes children's
parents away from them when they go off to work on a bus, car, or truck.
These programs can help children as they learn to trust that those same
vehicles also bring their loved ones back.
The theme of Going Away and Coming Back extends
through the puppet story in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. Led by new
and old friends, the puppets use maps, an ancient message, and measuring to
search for a secret tunnel. Clues pop up in the strangest places!
