Momma's Baby is Growing UP
I have now had the opportunity to
attend two sessions at my Service Learning Organization, Step by Step, with my
third session being this upcoming Thursday.
Overall, it has been a very positive experience and has allowed me to
work with children of all ages who come from challenging backgrounds or experiences,
one of my greatest passions. During my
first session, I worked with the three and four year olds. They were full of energy and I could tell
that they loved the extra attention from the volunteers. They loved having so many different play
mates and expected us to be just as full of energy and imaginative as they
were. I especially enjoyed playing with
the children in the “foam room,” which is simply an indoor playground with
slides, swings, and obstacle courses. It
was so rewarding to see the huge smiles illuminate the faces of all the
children as they ran around and enjoyed interacting and playing with one
another in a safe environment.
During my second volunteering
session at Step by Step, which is where I’d like to place the focus for this
particular post, I worked primarily with the babies, most being between 3
months and 1 year old. There was one
particular baby who was very fussy and I was given the task of keeping her
calm. Initially, I was intimidated by
this task and doubted my skills.
However, I collected myself and started with taking her outside to get
some fresh air. This change of
environment and a more comfortable atmosphere automatically calmed her down to
an extent. I also rocked her back and
forth in my arms as she continued to relax.
Seeing that I had helped the baby feel more relaxed reassured me that I
was working well with the child. I don’t
know how often the baby experiences this sense of calmness, so it was wonderful
to know that I had helped her feel more relaxed, even for just a short time. After she calmed down, I took her back inside
and played with some of the other babies and simply gave them the attention
that they always crave and may not always receive at home. One little boy was very quiet and reserved
for the majority of the time. However,
as we (the volunteers) continued to talk and play with him, he slowly started
to come out of his shell, as he was becoming more comfortable around us. It was a special moment for me to see him
finally let loose a little bit and be able to enjoy himself. I don’t know how many opportunities he has to
feel relaxed and to just be able to play, so knowing that I had given him that
opportunity was an amazing feeling.
In conclusion, I feel optimistic about the rest of my semester with Step by Step. I am looking forward to learning more about the children I work with and, more importantly, learning from the children I work with. |
| Pictured above is a child who attends Step by Step sessions and is around the same age group as the children that I usually work with. Photo taken by volunteer Maggie Stull. For additional photos of the facility and children, visit the Step by Step website at http://sbslex.org |
What has been the most impactful part of your time at Step by Step so far?
ReplyDeleteThe most impactful part of Step by Step for me so far has been just seeing how joyful and excited these children are, regardless of their backgrounds or challenges they have faced in their lives thus far.
DeleteThis sounds like a meaningful experience. Have you worked with kids before?
ReplyDeleteIt has been a great experience and it has become even more meaningful to me as the semester has progressed. And yes, I volunteered at an organization in my hometown similar to Step by Step that worked with underprivileged children. I went once or twice every week and helped with homework and just played with the children, giving them that individualized attention that they long for.
DeleteI really like the multi media aspects of this blog! the pictures look personal, not like they're from google.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Libby! Glad you are enjoying the posts.
Delete