This week is Early Childhood Educators Appreciation Week in Manitoba. Our centre has been extra-colourful (and that’s saying something in a daycare centre!) as we’ve done our best to celebrate our incredible team without being able to gather in person.
This year really has been “extra” as the Gen-Z’ers say, and I couldn’t be more proud of how our Brightling staff have come together to keep life as normal (and educational and fun!) for our children as possible… and to keep our centre operating despite constantly-changing circumstances.
But this isn’t a post about the pandemic or the staff who make Brightling the incredible support for Winnipeg families it is.
This is a post about celebrating – and how we need to do more of it.
There’s all kinds of research touting the mental health benefits of making a point of celebrating the little things as well as the big ones.
Proactively looking for reasons and ways to celebrate helps us keep focused on the positives; it helps us keep connected to our most important people; and it forces us to recognize and articulate the good things in our lives, which helps with our overall mental well-being.
It can also be a fun way to keep your family connected: creating celebrations, big or small, establishes milestones in your family memories that will stay with everyone as they grow.
The family of one of our Brightling alumni, Abby (now a bright high-schooler), held a backyard party to celebrate her toilet training. “Welcome to my panty party!” she excitedly said to everyone arriving. “I don’t wear pull-ups anymore! We have a cake!!!”
Abby’s joy was infectious, and guests still remember it almost 15 years later. (That she asked us all to sing “Old MacDonald” as she blew out the candles on her cake likely helps!)
We have so much to be thankful for. So let’s celebrate!
