Diapers have been changed, warm milk given to fill smallbellies, food has been tried (and eaten), we are between naps…we are having amoment, a quiet lull in our day.
Whether it is for 5 minutes or 30 minutes, there is no care-giving task
I need to accomplish. We play,explore, or crawl on my lap for a hug or check-in.
Magda Gerber calls this time “Want Nothing” time and defines
it like this:
“That’s when the parent doesn’t want to do anything with the
infant, has no plans other than wanting simply to be with the child: just
floor-sitting, being available, being there with all the senses awakened to the
child; watching, listening, thinking only of that child."
These are times when I can sit and observe the individual
children in my care, how they play and interact, and what materials andactivities catch their attention.
I also get to be with them – with no agenda – just being fully present. It is a truly beautiful time. I sit on the floor and am just able to
enjoy their presence, share their joys and frustrations, and be available for
connection as needed.
In this day of “go faster, do more," it can be a challenge
to slow down, be present, and simply observe. I find that I need to intentionally choose to not accomplish
some task (and there is always something that can be done), choose to quiet my
inner do-something drive, and, finally, choose to be fully present and
available. It is not easy and
something I continue to practice on a daily basis. But it is a practice I see as truly important – learning to
quiet down myself to be fully present and aware of the infants in my care.
“'Want nothing' time is different, more a time for taking in
and waiting. We fully accept the
infant’s beingness just by our own receptive beingness. Our presence is telling the child that
we are really there and aware” –Magda Gerber
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