Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Filling the Bucket

There are all sorts of books and manipulatives and toys in the waiting area of an office I visit weekly with Little G.  One such book is Fill a Bucket: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Young Children.


The inside of the flap says: The concept of a full bucket is an effective metaphor for a child's healthy self-concept and happiness, most often the result of the encouraging words and actions of parents and others who help a child know they are loved, valued, and capable.
The Ladybug and I read the book while waiting for Little G to finish his appointment and he asked me about it as he headed towards us in the waiting area.

I explained to him as best I could what the bucket was all about and what people did to fill our buckets (play with us, read to us, treat us kindly) and what we can do to fill others' buckets (be kind to them, treat them with respect, help them if they need it, etc).

Later in the day as we played in the living room, The Ladybug took a small spill onto the floor.  I encouraged Little G to help comfort her and perhaps fill her bucket.  So Little G promptly walked over to The Ladybug and started pretending to dig with a big shovel and dump it over her head.  I reminded him that filling her bucket could mean helping her to feel better to which he responded, "Ladybug, you can be happy now, I'm filling your bucket with CANDY!"