Pattern-Seeking

The other night I read over an interesting quote in Moby (half way through it-woohoo!).  Here it is:

"Yet Habit- strange thing!  what cannot habit accomplish?"

I was just thinking about how true this is especially when it comes to working in a daycare.  When I watched the training video they provided the teacher talked about how the brain is pattern-seeking.  We as humans like to realize and depend on patterns-ESPECIALLY children.  The more structured and patterned their days are the better.  That's why the experts encourage regular times for meals, naps, etc so that the child can pick up on these patterns and feel secure.  That's why when kids are on vacation-doing things with people that they rarely see/do and eat/sleep at different times-they don't handle it very smoothly. 

But if you take it further it's true- no matter how hard or horrible something might be like going into combat, or jumping out of planes etc once you've done it a bunch of times it becomes easier.  The first few days at work seem totally overwhelming and awful and yet, as you continue to do it and make a habit out of it you settle into the situation because you already know what to expect.

If we take it back to the daycare scenario-if a child's parents are going through a divorce-they suddenly aren't seeing one of the parents as much as normal; different people are picking them up every other day etc. chaos actually becomes the pattern that they become accustomed to.  So when they come in your room and create absolute havoc, it's what they're used to-they're reinforcing their own patterns.  That's why it's sooo important to have a set pattern that they can recognize every day from snack time to nap time to outside time etc. 

Sadly, it's been really hard to establish a pattern with our room lately cause a few weeks ago I was gone one day, then Monday and Today Ms. Renee was out sick, leaving me all alone in a room with 9-11 kids who are yet to be potty trained.  These kids have had different teachers with them throughout the week.  When you have a pattern that you are used to-say having a second teacher to be with you and help you wrangle the kids, it's hard to suddenly go to being by yourself.  I can't change their pull-ups until someone else comes in to watch the other kids.  I can't be everywhere at once.  I can't do an effective art project cause we usually pull a few at a time to do that- not all at once.  As a result the kids are feeling it and really testing their boundaries.  I won't lie, my nerves are almost shot and I can't wait to go to GA this weekend and party it up with our fam down there.  Sigh, I guess we'll start recreating our patterns next week.

On a more religious note, that's why it's so important for families to pray together, read scriptures together, go to church every sunday, have family night once a week etc.  The church has given us these patterns that will shape and help our children to always rely on the Lord.

So what patterns are you creating in your life?