PEOPLE POWER
LEARNING SKILLS
They say that play is children’s work. Give children the space to do that work. Give everyone the space to learn. There is so much you can learn from each other when you have different ages and abilities together.
Model the change you want to see.
The power of a living example is a mighty thing. “Monkey See, Monkey Do.”
Tips for Radical Childcare Volunteers
Volunteers can help by emphasizing:
Growing and Unity
After spending a day or two together in a childcare space, a funny thing happens: you really start to see the results of making a little temporary family or community – and that feels good. Like in many situations, the seeds you planted, you never thought were going to sprout, flower eventually. You may notice people spontaneously taking care of each in new ways they weren’t doing before or working together effortlessly, folks knowing each other and running on the same kind of frequency: shouting “hello” and “goodbye” when you see each other in other places.
Letting Go
Really letting go starts when you actually start the event all your planning has led up too. From that point on, as much as you all have planned, things are going to happen in their own way. Staying open and rolling with it are good things to do! You did everything you could to prepare, now it's time for the day to unfold. It’s no good to control everything and as the parenting expression goes: pick your battles. There are some things you are going to want to be a stickler for, like signing in and out, not letting kids wander out of the space or harm each other, and other things you are going to let go of. Especially by the end. By the end of the second day of our last conference, Facing Race, many of the children had snuck off into the “quiet room” where we had saved for napping babies and also where many of the kids had enjoyed down time, laying on top of the bed and reading books, the day before. As rowdy kids invaded, made up their own rules, and played in the other room at the end, we no longer tried to hold together the mess. We all knew each other pretty much at this point. And who knows, that little bit of child controlled chaos might make up some of their happiest memories. There’s always a point to let go and not fight to keep any kind of pre-existing notion. The gentle way is often the most resilient, bend without breaking.
More on Bottom-lining during the main event:
What bottom-lining means:
When people do not designate a person to watch the overview, and a system to do if something goes wrong, often folks fragment, sit around talking not watching, or become authoritarian. A system, when worked on, and continually worked on, is a structure to share and debate, change, work within and be flexible, a common language of coordination. Humans are always looking for a pattern: patterns can be orchestrated and free-styled upon, to make sense of things and to orchestrate, balance or jump off their own movements.
Individuals:
Ultimately we are all in charge of ourselves. Trust your instincts what feels right or wrong. Everyone has their own way.
“The Huddle”
Room/Shift Bottom-liners (and other anarcha-feminists) may need to make decisions quickly at times. One move is “the huddle” where you consult with others to get input and information in order to coordinate a play. Moving close together, putting your shoulders side by side, throwing out strategies and deciding on the plan of action – lets go!
Maybe I’ve overstretched with this football metaphor but it feels good when we have been working together for a while and can coordinate a plan to take care of everyone during complications and stress – who does what – quickly, and we all feel good and it works out. Yay!
In our City:
The ideal childcare action is one that leaves children, parents, childcare volunteers, and organizers all with a good feeling and conference participants who have not participated in childcare (this time) exclaiming, “Next conference I go to – I’m volunteering for childcare!” because it looks so fun. And Radical!
They say that play is children’s work. Give children the space to do that work. Give everyone the space to learn. There is so much you can learn from each other when you have different ages and abilities together.
Model the change you want to see.
The power of a living example is a mighty thing. “Monkey See, Monkey Do.”
Tips for Radical Childcare Volunteers
Volunteers can help by emphasizing:
- Positive approaches/alternative method
- Creative problem solving
- Communication
- Sharing their real selves – be yourself
- Listening to each other
- Following energy. Time for kinetic outside activity? Quiet time? Clean up time? Snack time? Go on a walk? Arts and Crafts?
- Help guide energy.
- Letting go. Let folks figure it out. Don’t be afraid of some chaos
- Talking about it. What should we do? Discuss
- Care
- Communicating: “I’m doing this.”
- Asking for help. “I don’t know what to do”.
- We can always contact parents if we need more input
- We have space and time to be different. We are not a school - everyone doesn’t have to do stuff. We are not your parents. We take care; have fun; be safe; and try to promote a happy time but don’t have to worry as much or know all the answers.
- Live our values as well as learn from other’s examples and our experiences.
- Have fun!
Growing and Unity
After spending a day or two together in a childcare space, a funny thing happens: you really start to see the results of making a little temporary family or community – and that feels good. Like in many situations, the seeds you planted, you never thought were going to sprout, flower eventually. You may notice people spontaneously taking care of each in new ways they weren’t doing before or working together effortlessly, folks knowing each other and running on the same kind of frequency: shouting “hello” and “goodbye” when you see each other in other places.
Letting Go
Really letting go starts when you actually start the event all your planning has led up too. From that point on, as much as you all have planned, things are going to happen in their own way. Staying open and rolling with it are good things to do! You did everything you could to prepare, now it's time for the day to unfold. It’s no good to control everything and as the parenting expression goes: pick your battles. There are some things you are going to want to be a stickler for, like signing in and out, not letting kids wander out of the space or harm each other, and other things you are going to let go of. Especially by the end. By the end of the second day of our last conference, Facing Race, many of the children had snuck off into the “quiet room” where we had saved for napping babies and also where many of the kids had enjoyed down time, laying on top of the bed and reading books, the day before. As rowdy kids invaded, made up their own rules, and played in the other room at the end, we no longer tried to hold together the mess. We all knew each other pretty much at this point. And who knows, that little bit of child controlled chaos might make up some of their happiest memories. There’s always a point to let go and not fight to keep any kind of pre-existing notion. The gentle way is often the most resilient, bend without breaking.
More on Bottom-lining during the main event:
What bottom-lining means:
- look over everyone, the bigger picture, and the whole room.
- Make sure folks sign in and sign out and talk to them.
- Share information with others.
- Watch over the room and volunteers rather then getting too caught up for too long in what you are doing.
- The person who takes ultimate responsibility for what is happening in the space.
- Also a person can be the one who is bottom-lining/over-viewing a certain activity: going outside to play, one person should be watching everyone, the big picture.
- This is a rotating position for those who are core organizing members.
When people do not designate a person to watch the overview, and a system to do if something goes wrong, often folks fragment, sit around talking not watching, or become authoritarian. A system, when worked on, and continually worked on, is a structure to share and debate, change, work within and be flexible, a common language of coordination. Humans are always looking for a pattern: patterns can be orchestrated and free-styled upon, to make sense of things and to orchestrate, balance or jump off their own movements.
Individuals:
Ultimately we are all in charge of ourselves. Trust your instincts what feels right or wrong. Everyone has their own way.
“The Huddle”
Room/Shift Bottom-liners (and other anarcha-feminists) may need to make decisions quickly at times. One move is “the huddle” where you consult with others to get input and information in order to coordinate a play. Moving close together, putting your shoulders side by side, throwing out strategies and deciding on the plan of action – lets go!
Maybe I’ve overstretched with this football metaphor but it feels good when we have been working together for a while and can coordinate a plan to take care of everyone during complications and stress – who does what – quickly, and we all feel good and it works out. Yay!
In our City:
- We welcome feedback/input/flexibility – the “city” has been built and now it is for the inhabitants to occupy and build and grow and co-create in. Let movements enfold and people use their space.
- Flexibility
- Accountability
- Listening to each other
- Values: the way we do things/expectations.
- We are building a different way where we can all work together and respect each other.
- We are continually working on time, space, cooperation, and communication
- Even in the best of times, trying to be clear, there will be miscommunications and problems that will come up. We work on our problems.
- We back up and take time out when needed
- We take care of ourselves and each other
- We nurture positive change
- We do our best to create an ideal temporary autonomous inspiring happening
The ideal childcare action is one that leaves children, parents, childcare volunteers, and organizers all with a good feeling and conference participants who have not participated in childcare (this time) exclaiming, “Next conference I go to – I’m volunteering for childcare!” because it looks so fun. And Radical!
on to --> 6. Reflect