Being different is fun

by Arnold Elisa R. (6 y.), December 2023

This summer, many new children joined us in the first kindergarten group. They are caterpillars, and I have now become a “butterfly” (that’s the big ones in the second year of kindergarten). I really enjoy being a role model in kindergarten. I don’t want to do stupid things with the other children or become like the boys who shout, say stupid words and torment other children. I realized that the best way for me to be and stay different is to take responsibility and support my teacher. For example, I help the caterpillars everywhere so that they can get to know the kindergarten and show them everything they don’t know yet. Or if someone can’t tie their own shoes, I help my teacher to tie shoes so that she doesn’t have to tie all the children’s shoes herself. Or I sweep the floor every day, even if it’s not my task. I also help my teacher with a boy who is very wild and not concentrated. He can hardly sit still in a circle and is always distracted. My teacher sat him next to me and whenever he was loud or fidgeting in his chair, I would put my hand quietly on his knee and whisper “shhh” to him and then he would become very quiet. You can support soooo many things, take on responsibility and help out in kindergarten. Then you are automatically completely different and that makes you happy. I want to continue to be a role model and not just go to kindergarten to play and “take”… because that’s the quickest way to become like the others… and I don’t want that. Being different is really fun !

Your Arnold