planes and playdates

This is an appreciation post for the everyday people that we don’t really know but who have a positive impact on our children in various ways. Once we are adults we sometimes get so busy rushing around and making sure that everything is taken care of that we forget just how much the little moments impact on our little ones lives. In this case, it is our local garbage truck driver who we now look forward to seeing every week. Please have a read and then share your stories with me in the comments. Thank you!

Dear Mr Garbage Truck Driver (who collects the red bin!)

I always knew that young children usually go through a stage where they like to watch trucks. They also like to see the garbage truck come along and watch the bins get emptied. I never realised just how much of an impact this simple, once a week event, could have on a young child.

It was around winter last year that we started showing our boy the garbage truck (he was roughly two and a half) through our window. Each week we would watch the two trucks come to collect the bins. It didn’t take long for him to start to remember and he would ask when the trucks were coming. We would stand in the window holding him up and one day you noticed us and gave a big wave and tooted the horn. He was delighted.

The months continued on and while the other drivers would sometimes see us and give a wave you remembered us and every week you have continued to give us a wave and a ‘thumbs up’. When it was time to do Christmas cards we gave you one and you hopped out the garbage truck and asked us if we wanted to have a look inside. My boy was a bit overwhelmed, saying it was too loud but the gesture was much appreciated. I’m sure if you offer next Christmas he will get right in.

In fact, he gets so much joy from seeing you and your truck each week that he ended up getting his very own garbage truck for Christmas. It was his favourite toy. He puts rubbish in the little bins and empties them. He drives around the house, collecting bins. Recently I heard his voice saying he is the ‘red bin driver’ and I looked down to see him giving me a wave and then a ‘thumbs up’. This is the impact you are having on him. This is when I realised just how important you have become to him.

Not only do you see him, you treat him with kindness. He experiences disappointment when the other drivers do not wave. When you do this for him he feels important, special, seen.  Acting out your smile, wave and a thumbs up during his play, is not ONLY play. It is teaching him how to treat others. It reinforces that it is good to be friendly and kind. Parents can try and teach their children everything we can but having good role models in the world helps us greatly. Three years old is an impressionable age.

So thank you! Thank you for the joy you bring him each week and for showing him the kind way to act in this world.

With much appreciation,

Carlie

Do you have any everyday people in your life that do that little bit extra to recognise your young people?

Tell me about it in the comments!