The first Tuesday I was in Guate, we started our child development classes.
We had 50 mamas and 100 children under 4. The kids were to go in the playroom while the mamas had classes and then everyone would eat. I am used to US kids and it never crossed my mind that these children had never seen a toy and did not know what to do with one. My son and daughter blew up over a 100 balloons when the kids first got there and the mamas made sure that each of their children got one.Then we took them in the playroom. It took some dedicated effort to teach them what to do with the brightly colored tables and chairs and the toys that were scattered all around. While my teacher Gil was struggling with this, I was telling the mamas what our plans were for the future in terms of the child development class. Basically we want them to help them learn some basic parenting skills including nutritional info.We also want to learn form them what they need and want. We then served lunch to all 150. First the mamas and then the kids. It was interesting. We had a chicken/vegetable dish over rice with a white roll. In the US this meal would have met with some resistance by the toddlers. Comments like "I want a hotdog" or " I don't like that" would have been heard. Here tho the mamas rushed their kids to the serving line, made sure they each got a bowl and made sure it was all eaten. I figure it was different because they are starving and so the US kid pickiness does not exist.This was my favorite thing to do while we were in guate and each tues. here in the US, I wish I were down there amidst all those kids and mamas.
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