EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
I put a sticker around the button so they’ll remember to flush. They didn’t. I mean they did not forget. They just grow this way. Testing and retesting. What happens if I do this ..? And now? What if I do it now? Is it still not allowed? And now?
I realize now that I didn’t remind them to flush, I challenged them to stop flushing. That was a challenge they had to accept. They just grow this way. I told them “you should flush so that the toilet would be clean for the next chaild, just like it was clean for you.” but I miscalculated. They were not a well established collective of gentle souls working together for a better future. They were 5 year olds. Warriors. Fighting for scarce resources and what’s more important, social status. So they peed on the floor.
The second time I found that they had peed on the floor I had had enough. I marched out to the yard, ordered them to gather around and sit down in a circle, and then I screamed. “This is the last time you make a mess in the toilet! I have better things to do than to clean piss all day! You all should be ashamed of yourselves. Only babies pee on the floor! Are you babies? ” they started answering me “no” and “i didn’t” or “it wasn’t me” and of course “i saw who did it!” but i wouldn’t play this game. I shouted again, “quiet!” They froze and stared at me with large eyes and closed mouths. I continued “you do not talk when I am speaking! I did not ask you who did it. I asked you, are you babies? And do not answer, just nod.” they nodded ” no”. “Good! Now I do not ever want to see a mess like that again, is that understood? ” they nodded “yas”. “Good, now pick up the toys and tidy the yard.”
Most kids started picking up toys, two girls asked if they could braid my hair, one boy asked if I wanted a backrub and another boy went into kindergarten to get me a glass of water. That day thay flushed. The next day they didn’t.