Having two dogs in my care for a week gives me an opportunity to observe their behavior up close and personal. They communicate with body language. I often wonder what they would say if they could speak in my language. With kids however they use all means available to communicate. Sometimes it can be pleasing and sometimes comical.
I have noticed a new behavior in Rocky, the rescue dog. When I let him out he does not want to come right back in. I notice he likes to lie down in front of the closed storm door. I just left him there and he was quite content to just recline there, surveying his surroundings. I have noticed that Cujo sometimes wants to watch what is going on outside, although when it is hot he is happy to come into a cool house. Since they spend their time indoors just lying around it does not seem that big a change to me.
Kids are quick to let you know what they want from very early on. Mothers know that when a baby cries he needs something, usually milk. But it can be a frantic effort if a mother cannot quickly ascertain why her baby is crying. That is why mothers dread a colicky baby. A friend once told me of her experiences with a new baby. Her baby was crying constantly. Her mother came over to lend a hand. She took the baby and wrapped it up in a soft receiving blanket and the baby stopped crying immediately. You may have noticed in a hospital nursery the babies are "bundled". I think it is because in the womb babies are in a specified area, by bundling them you mimic that environment which they were accustomed to. Thus they feel safe.
When children have begun talking it is easier to understand their needs and things go more peacefully. In most families there is a story to tell of how one of the children used this tool of communication. I got my name from my first grandchild. He was watching out the window for my arrival when he was around two years of age. He ran to his mother and said "Bubbie is here". I have been Bubbie ever since.
My own son delighted us all by saying " I'm full of injury". He had picked up on my comment that he was full of energy. In turn many years later his son delighted me with a rhyming jingle. He was around age 4 or 5 and I was taking him to the movies. We were both in a holiday mood. As we walked from my car to the theater ticket booth we were holding hands. I began to sing a quickly made up ditty, while swinging our hands back and forth. "You're my buddy, you're my pal". Quick as a wink he came back in the same tune, "You're my girl friend, you're my gal". He has no doubt long forgotten this incident. But I have not. I was delighted that he could respond in such way. I thought it showed intelligence and surprising adaptability to a new situation.
Sometimes a child's actions will speak volumes without speaking one word. Many years ago when I was a first grade classroom teacher, a new student came to our school. I was told he was in the school office and would I come and get him. When I arrived he had crawled under a chair and no one could entice him to leave the spot. I sat down on a chair near him and began to talk to him. I explained who I was and what was going on down in my classroom. His mother had enrolled him and left as she had a job to go to. He was trying to protect himself from any further insults by hiding under a chair. I was able to gently and casually get him to go with me to see what the children were doing in our classroom. When we came to my room he did not want to come inside. I told him that was okay, as I would bring his desk out in the hall. I put his desk where he could observe what was happening inside and as time went by I would walk by his desk and say a word or two to him, just as I was circulating inside the room.
At some point as I came by his desk I asked him how he was going home at the end of the day.I needed to know if someone was picking him up or if he was going home by bus. He tearfully said he did not know. I said "Well, don't you worry about it. If need be, I can take you home myself in my car". Without one word, he stood up and walked into my classroom. Actually I knew some other option was open to him but he needed reassurance that he had not been abandoned.
About this same student I learned later that he and his mother were homeless and had been living in her car. She had just found shelter with a family member and had gone out looking for work. No doubt, she had so much on her mind that she did not consider the anguish her small boy was experiencing . Perhaps if she had not rushed away without meeting his teacher the transfer could have been much different.
Years earlier I got a surprising response from a young student. He was a very confident young man and diligent in his work patterns. I paid him a high compliment one day and told him if he ever ran for president I would vote for him. He said, "You would be dead by then". At the time I was 50 with no plans for an early demise. I wonder what happened to this capable young man.
I can conclude by stating, don't count out dogs or children as one never knows what they will say or do.
No comments:
Post a Comment