Just before the beginning of Thanksgiving break at the school it was my privilege to speak to the pre-kindergarten class at the school where I work. It has been my goal to redouble my efforts at making sure that I have some type of learning contact with every student in the school. This means that I have to make use of any opportunity possible to coordinate lesson plans on a variety of subjects and if I am lucky even be able to teach some values. In this case I was asked to work with this class on keeping their hands to themselves. Like all children really, they had gotten into the bad habit of hitting or pinching one another which is just not appropriate in any setting. They hadn't physically hurt each other but it is one of those behaviors that need to be nipped in the bud.
So the question arose, how would I teach these kids to use their hands for good things rather than for getting into trouble? I like being simple and straightforward with kids of a young age. It isn't because they are simple but rather because they are so straightforward and concrete. They don't think in the abstract yet so things really are black and white. My challenge was to teach them something without talking down to them (something that I abhor).
Walking in the students cheered as I sat down in the rocking chair. Whenever I come by this class we sing songs or they teach me something. Since my children are this age or approaching this age I feel like I am home and dealing with my own kids. I find that if you interact with kids in a way that they are comfortable with then you have a better chance to reaching them. In this case we did some circle time. I told them that because they were getting older I was going to teach them something new. I was going to teach them about hands. I asked them first what their hands could do that was good. They replied with the usual suspects like building things or making food. But what surprised me is that the when I asked the kids what are some bad things that hands can do they produced an exhaustive list which included hitting, punching, pinching, and pushing. I was impressed.
So how to explain to them the simple concept of "just keep your hands to yourself".
FIrst I had them look at their hands. I asked to look at their fingers, the shape of their hands and how while everyone has hands and they are all different everyone has the choice as to what they will do with their hands. I then told them that sometimes try to get a mind of their own and that they need to be told what to do. I had them hold out their hands and say forcefully "hands, you belong to me. You do what I say!". I know, I know, it sounds ridiculous but they did it. And when they did it I think that they saw for a moment how powerful our hands can be. OUr hands can create and destroy, and not just physical things. Our hands can help to heal or harm us spiritually. They can contribute to the positive of the world or help to cause its suffering.
The lesson for us adults (and children at heart) is that no matter our age, our hands are still a great responsibility. Think of what you do with your hands on a daily basis. Does it cause suffering or does it help others? Does it advance the kingdom of God or does it try to tear it down? If we look to our example in Christ we find someone who offered up his hands to healing, hard work, and eventually surrender to death itself. The scars on his hands are a testament to his willingness to give everything of himself in the service of those whom he loved.
I like to think that we will judged by how many scars we have on our hands. Do we have the scars of someone who has offered themselves up even if it meant we were going to suffer for it? Do we have the scars of being rejected for our faith? Or will our hands show someone who did everything in their power to avoid the hard things in the Christian life? If little hands can try to hear the message then perhaps those of us with bigger hands and bigger responsibilities can take that same lesson home.
picture from google images
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