CW: ABA

A while back I saw a comment arguing that ABA wasn't abusive because it's just basic discipline

Even if that were true, the way that many folks "discipline" children is also not great !!

CW: ABA

A lot of the arguments in favor of ABA essentially come down to "I don't see children as full human beings especially those children that I consider to be defiant or deviant"

and that's that on that

And I don't want to discount how difficult it can be to break out of repeating how we might have been spoken to & treated as children, but it isn't fair to use that acknowledgement to justify harmful behavior towards children now

When I first started working in early childhood education, we had readings, trainings, and classroom observations on compassionate guidance

essentially, you learn how to best connect with children where they are instead of where you think they should be

Even as someone who loves children, some of it did not come naturally to me at all !

I had to become much more intentional about how I interacted with children

was it hard? sometimes yeah

do I still mess up? DEFINITELY

was it worth it? hell yeah

seeing children learn how to name their emotions and communicate their needs in their own way is v heartwarming, and there's no need to be cruel to them for not being able to do it right away

they are very new to the whole existing thing!

At the end of the day, though, children tend to evoke strong emotion in people

If you find yourself justifying harmful or even violent behaviors toward children, REALLY sit with yourself and ask why

There was something else I was gonna say, but I completely lost my train of thought so have some relevant lyrics:

Careful the things you say, children will listen

Careful the things you do, children will see and learn