Two-Year-Olds

Image by Jason Goh from Pixabay

I didn’t plan to work with infants and toddlers. The last 10 months were spent studying for my basic ECE certificate to work with 3 – 5 year-olds. However, when I was offered the job I felt that starting with the littlest ones would be a great opportunity to gain a better feel for the developmental stages. I also felt that the positive work environment would be a safe place to take my own brave steps towards developing confidence as an ECE. As an individual as well.

My practicum experiences were a mixed bag of nuts. Some experiences were well received. I struggled with others. This wasn’t always the children. Sometimes–quite a bit of the time–it was about my own personal journey and feeling less than adequate for the path I’ve endeavoured down.

Children come in many different temperaments. However, now that I’ve been working with two-year-olds, the common plot often goes something like this: 

Hey, that toy is mine! (Grab!) This is my space! (Push! Shove!) I’m so frustrated that I can’t do this! (Melt down…)

Many tears are shed by two-year-olds throughout a typical day. Some of them are due to frustration, others are due to minor accidents (like tripping and falling or managing to wedge oneself in an awkward position). Tears may also be due to bodily interference by another child, tiredness, or being separated from a parent. 

The common theme is that they are NEW to this thing called life. They’re learning. There is much understanding and patience needed. It’s difficult for a 2-year-old to understand why they must do something as well as why they can’t do something. 

As I meditated on this recently I connected the dots and came up with a new perspective on sin. 

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

James 4:17 (ESV) 

Sin isn’t always so straight forward. It first takes knowledge of what is right and wrong in the eyes of God. Remember that the prophets, like Jonah, were sent to warn and teach.

Life may also have some grey areas, creating uncertainty on a matter which needs to be settled in one’s heart. This requires patience from both God and others as we take our steps of faith. However, it also requires that we examine ourselves carefully and thoughtfully to see if we’re on the right path and developing spiritual discernment. If these steps aren’t being taken, perhaps we’re still acting like 2-year-olds? 

Do You Still Need to Be Spoon Fed? Or Can You Reliably Feed Others?

By now you should be teachers. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the first things you need to know from God’s Word. You still need milk instead of solid food. Anyone who lives on milk cannot understand the teaching about being right with God. He is a baby. Solid food is for full-grown men. They have learned to use their minds to tell the difference between good and bad.

Hebrews 5:12 – 14 (NewLife Version)

Not many [of you] should become teachers [serving in an official teaching capacity], my brothers and sisters, for you know that we [who are teachers] will be judged by a higher standard [because we have assumed greater accountability and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly].

James 3:1 (Amplified Bible)