I arrive early at preschool and observe my four year old boy carefully removing bugs from plastic cylinder jars. He makes the bee fly. Then the beetle. Then the butterfly. Each gets its chance. Unscrew the lid, carefully remove and fly it, return and re-cap. Repeat.
Two older girls react strongly to the butterfly. “No!! Don’t!!!” Which draws teacher over, intervening to place the monarch back in the container.
Not knowing the bugs were meant to stay in the jars, I only saw careful exploration, not problem behavior needing intervention.
Two years later, he’s flourishing in a school with more predictability. His “worry bug” doesn’t visit him there. We collect insects on our own.
Resolve to learn tools for painless living.
Blessings to your young son. May he always be healthy and happy. What a lucky boy to have a yogi for a mom.
Many thanks, Tim. I’m a lucky Mama. He’s my best teacher, even when (especially when?) I don’t want to acknowledge that it’s so.