Child Development

     Starfish insists that it is primarily a home. For that reason, we volunteers are supposed to help the kids develop physically, mentally, and emotionally, just like they would in a traditional home environment. Of course it’s not the same when there are so many kids to care for, but we do the best we can to help them grow up healthy and strong.

     The nurse here reminded us how crawling is important for kids’ brain development. Most of the kids here don’t crawl. They learn to sit, and then they learn to walk. They spend a lot of time in little walkers, which are great in keeping the kids contained in the courtyard while also allowing them a little freedom. But they don’t get a lot of tummy time, so they never learn to crawl. That’s what I’ve been working on with a lot of the kids. Yesterday I laid Xander on his stomach and Meilina and I helped him crawl by putting a toy just out of his reach and moving it back as he crawled. He cried at first, and wanted us to pick him up, but eventually he did it! He crawled across the whole mat! And he was so pleased with himself.

   Anna had a fever today. I went to play with her and she felt super hot, so I asked the ayi (nanny) and we summoned the nurse to take her temperature. She had a slight fever, so we gave her some children’s Tylenol. I felt useful because I helped translate between the nurse, who doesn’t speak Chinese, and the ayi. I’m getting a little better at understanding the Xi’an dialect. Even though I can’t always understand the locals, they usually understand me, so we can figure things out.

     I read a book with Louie today. He is so dang cute. He’s learning to walk. He can’t crawl, but he scoots himself around on his little bum.

   I pushed Coco, Niu Niu, and Angela on the swings. They love the swings. It was so hot in the back courtyard. It was around 4:00, and the sun was just beating down glass roof. It’s like we live in a greenhouse. I have sweated so much over the past few days, and it’s only the beginning of May. Aiooo.  

    I played “Red Light, Green Light” with Mila. Previous volunteers taught her that game, and she really likes it. Today Meilina and I taught Mila “Say, Say, My Playmate”, which she loved.

      Meilina is so great with the kids. She has been taking a couple of them at a time into the art room, where they color pictures, do puzzles, thread beads on strings, and sing songs. Today they made paper hats. She’s studying music ed, so this stuff is right up her alley. She loves it, and she’s good at it.

Meilina took five kids outside for a walk                                                     Anna and Anna