What happens when people bring their children?

This blog is one of a series of Facilitation Thoughts which look at various aspects of facilitation. 


( Image from http://freedesignfile.com/11995-playing-children-cartoon-vector-set-04/ )
"They really should not have children in the workshop. If so, they should be fed as well” evaluation comment
There are some kinds of sessions (including classes) in which the participants have to bring the small children in their care.  I have a memory of an lifting up a child and running a session for about 20 minutes until the child fell asleep. The small child was bored and his mother put him down to walk around. I was facilitating and he came to me and started pulling at my shirt and raising his hands.  I am not 'good' with children but still lifted him and then he fell asleep. His parents kept smiling at me.

I have had to decide not to use a video during a training session because small children were present.  In a human right session, the time when a parent started hitting a child "to sit still" generated a change in the agenda to discuss non-violent parenting.

Another group  of trainees praised their teacher for encouraging a woman to attend a training class with her small child.



Bring the child and come

It is not easy to ignore restless children. I think the facilitator should be conscious of the needs of the children and to see how participants are responding.

These are some of the strategies that I have seen used and I have used to keep the children and the participants happy.


  • Establish that there will be no hitting of children . Participants could share responsibility for keeping the children happy and giving the parent or caregiver some relief.
  • Ensure the children have things to do - toys, paper and pens , etc.  You might have to share your markers (or space on the flip chart as one child came up to write on the board )
  • Encourage the parents to step out with children when they need to and let them know you will update them on what is missed.
  • Identify a safe place where the children could run and play. 
  • If the children are old enough to participate, encourage them to do so.
  • Find out if any of the participants or organisers would be willing to create a separate space with some activities for the children. (Think Sunday School )
Virtual sessions
Some people might have their children with them. Acknowledge the presence of the child or the children, encourage them to say hello. 
 
What other strategies would you recommend for keeping children happy during a session for their parents?

Have a look at the other Facilitation blogs  .

Author : Vidyaratha Kissoon  contact : vidyak1 (at) gmail (dot) com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Turpentine mango madness

Image
Some of the mango was stuck on the stubble around my mouth. I looked at the mirror, a bit of shame because I had just collected an invitation from a well dressed guy and I wonder how I must have looked to him.. look at dis big man .. he cyan eat mango good . Thing is.. wiping off mango from stubble is difficult.. and the casual swipe with a hand which might have some juice is also useless. The turpentine mango is useless when it is green - it tastes awful, like turpentine.  Mother Nature works a miracle because the ripe one though, is sweet, juicy, no strings and no turpentine taste. And the colours on the skins are bright yellow/orange/pink/purple/red shades that are probably meant to draw all species of mango lovers. The trouble with turpentine is that you cannot pick it green or 'turnin' ' to ripen like say how they do it with Spice mangoes.  You have to leave on the tree until there is some point.. when there is no taste of turpentine. So you look at the m...
Read more

My experience with depression - Dr Raquel Thomas-Caesar

Image
(The University of Guyana held Turkeyne & Tain Talks 2 on Monday 12 September, 2016 on Suicide Prevention . Dr Raquel Thomas-Caesar made a presentation based on her experience. This is the text of the presentation) by Raquel Thomas-Caesar I am not an expert on the issue of Suicide and Depression but this is my personal journey dealing with such issues. I have never spoken publicly about this at such a forum and I hope that it serves to help others even if only a small way- Dr Raquel Thomas-Caesar South East London,  June 9, 1995 As I sit under the tree, hidden from all eyes…I wait….to go. I wait to die. Then it hits me…OMG. I really don’t want to die. What have I done? My head is swinging, fuzzy, I can hardly walk. But I barely make it up and up the hill…I see two young black men in the distance…they come towards me, I could only imagine they thought I was on drugs..I beg for help. My Angels.  I wake up in the hospital. This was me- 21 years ago.  In a fore...
Read more

Going into the unknown at the Indigenous Heritage Exhibtion 2024

Image
 (The Moving Circle of Artists' work is presented in the 2024 Indigenous Heritage Exhibition at Castellani House until 30 September, 2024. ) There was no print catalogue available. The QR code image was around, but I did not have the technology to use the QR code even with assistance of the attendants. I hope the organisers will put labels on the work items for viewers who cannot access the QR code. I apologise to the artists whose work I reference without the proper attributions Going into the unknown Place hot and I feeling a lil jumpy despite the yoga routine earlier in the day. Some unexpected challenges which pile up and then come in to chill out in the gallery and find that I have to do guess work on the art and so. Switch my mind, thinking yeah, go into the unknown.  NO titles to guide you.  Friends on social media had shared pictures of some of the most striking pieces so there is a familiarity in a way. And a helpful attendant shows the PDF on his phone to che...
Read more