I will walk with you all the way

I have to admit, I’m not the most patient person when it come to guiding or teaching adults.

With children, there is still a bit more leeway, as I know they are still developing and growing.

Today I asked a child to work with me. She’s turning 5 this year. 

Each time, she takes up to one hour just to set up the cards and counter activity (which is just arranging numbers 1 to 10) and counting out the corresponding counters. 

I know she is able to set up the activity and do it on her own, because I have been making her repeat the same activity the last three weeks 😅

However today I told her we were going to do something new, (which was to move up to counting 11 to 19) with the Teens Beads. (Golden beads and short bead stair) 

We sat down and counted the beads together and then she packed the activity away. 

In my mind, I was just thinking, you know, I know you (the child) can do it. But if I didn’t sit down with you, it will take you another one hour on the cards and counter, and we won’t be learning and doing anything new (again) as you’ve been doing the same thing for the past three weeks. 

In cognitive development, this is called ‘scaffolding’, where the educator helps a child move on from level to another level. I know, I am using an object lesson to illustrate my point. 

To be honest, I was just reflecting on something I heard the visiting preacher said on Sunday. 

Sometimes people who are in trouble are just looking for someone who would be willing to just stop and say to them, I will walk with you and stay with you until you got what you came here to get, and until you received the restoration that you were looking.

And really, that is all we need. Someone to walk in our journey.