This trip has definitely been a huge eye opening experience for me thus far! I really have enjoyed being here in Africa! Lets just say that I am thankful for the many blessings that we have in America. One of the many pleasures I get to do every morning is wake up and take a freezing cold shower. Its so cold that my scalp starts to hurt after awhile!!! I am thankful for my shower at home! Then I have a little time to read and just watch the sun come up! The colors are amazing! Red, orange, pink and yellow and blue all in the sky! This week I am in the language stimulation group working at the Haven’s and it really is a lot of fun. We dance, sing songs, play and talk with the children!
From Anna’s blog post I see there have been some questions regarding the crazy man that hangs out at the Haven. Honestly, in my own opinion I think that he has been hanging around the Haven so long, I do not believe that he is a threat to any of the babies or the staff. The Auntie’s do not seem to mind him and pretty much ignore him. It seems as though the Haven gets many visitors through out the day from family members of the children to doctors to people volunteering to help out. It seems as though anyone is welcome! Most of the people that are around are from the Namwianga mission and people know who they are. I feel sad for the crazy man because no one can understand him, and most people just ignore him.
One of the cultural things that I believe is worth mentioning is their potty training technique. There is none!!!! Most of the kids who are of toddler age are running around with no diapers on and just pee right through their clothes. In America, we stress having our children potty trained by the time they are at least three, have pamphlets on getting rid of diapers, and books and books on techniques to potty train. It is so interesting to me that it is not a huge priority here! There have been many of us in the group that have been inducted into the pee club for those of us who have been peed on!!! I believe almost all of us have been peed on once on this trip. So to sort of get rid of the pee problem during our therapy sessions we take a potty break where we bring the children to the potty to try and go so that there may not be any accidents!!! It has sort of worked so far. I think a reason that they are not so focused on potty training like we are is because the Auntie’s have so much going on all through the day. The Haven’s really have no set schedule except for meal times, and if the children are fed, the Auntie’s have to do laundry, give baths, pretty much run a household for all these children. I had to think about that the other day that the Haven’s are these children’s home. They live there day in and day out! The Auntie’s are saints and are amazing at what they do! I am glad we are here to help them out!!! I feel blessed to have had the great childhood that I grew up in. We should all be so thankful for the families we have and the people who helped raise us!!!! I think it would be helpful to have a schedule at the Haven but with so many different ages and levels that the babies are at it would be somewhat impossible. The toddlers at Haven 2 would be better to have a schedule than the other Haven’s because they are all toddlers!!! Love to all,
Jill
So none of the children wear diapers? I can agree that we are blessed in our situations! When you take the children to the potty are you rewarding them for going to the bathroom? Also is there a set time for potty break or are you trying to get the kiddos to request to use the bathroom?
ReplyDeleteI think trying to implement some type of schedule with the toddlers would be an amazing idea. Something just as simple as when they are done eating they have to go use the potty. With everything the Aunties have going on it would definitley be hard, but it might get easier with time if they stuck to it. Are pull-ups available to the children? That might be a good thing to implement if it's available? That way it wouldn't be such a mess when the older kids have accidents. That is crazy though. At my offsite many of the children (birth-5) are not potty trained. The majority of them are special needs. Most wear diapers or a pull-up. The teachers have set times for the children to try and use the bathroom throughout the day which has helped many of them get out of pull-ups.They also use a lot of verbal reinforcement. The kids also get something like a skittle when they go. It would make the Auntie's job easier I would think because they wouldn't have to constantly changing the children's clothes if they had a pull-up on.
ReplyDeleteHope you are doing well, Jill! Question, are the children's potties like the ones American toddlers have?
ReplyDeleteIt is so great to hear from you! Thank you for sharing your experience and views of the sunrise and your feelings about the trip!! I can relate to your blog. When i went to Honduras the same type of system was in place, there was none! The only time the kids had routine was when they ate! We had to ask the ladies that worked there to change their diapers or we just did it ourselves. In Honduras they do not run on tight schedules like we do, its totally different. That is such a good idea about having potty breaks for the kids, its teaching them and keeping yall pee free!!! Are the hygienic supplies lacking, or do they have plenty of materials to keep the children clean? How did they get their materials, donations?
ReplyDeleteI find it really ironic that today's post is about potty training. Today I pretty much joined the club. One of my cuties was playing with me and I guess he waited to the last minute, but we ran to the potty and as we were knocking a puddle formed around his little feet. I felt so bad for him! It didn't get on me but that was only due to careful stepping. Do the Aunties just let them run around in wet clothes for a while or do the clothes get changed pretty frequently? I guess it does make more sense to continuously wash clothes rather than use disposable or non-disposable diapers that constantly need to be changed. I think it's really interesting that they are not as into potty training as we are. How do they wash clothes? Do y'all target potty training words in your language lessons or show them the steps and reward for good potty behavior?
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that y'all have an interest in the potty training!!! We do not give treats when we take them to the potty!!! Pull ups are not available, mostly cloth diapers when they are clean! Another interesting thing is they do not have washing machines so they hand wash and hang to dry everything!!! I feel that the focus here is not really on pottying and more on surviving and living for these children here in Zambia. The Auntie's are pretty good about changing the children but there are so many and sometimes there are no clean cloths for awhile that the kids are wet awhile!!! Be thankful for are many resources at home!!! Love to all!!!
ReplyDeleteI've never thought about that before. Potty training seems like such a natural thing to do :) I would have never guessed that other countries don't have something similes... shows how sheltered I am! ha! I think trying make some type of schedule with the toddlers would be an excellent idea. Something as easy as when they are done eating they have to go use the potty. The kids I work with (especially the autistic) thrive on schedules!
ReplyDeleteShayna
Crazy about the potty training! I would never have thought about an issue like that until now! We almost consider it a milestone in a sense here! I wonder if they could designate a "pee" person who rotates taking the babies every hour or so. Who knows? Enjoyed the post Jill!
ReplyDeleteThat is really crazy about the potty training. It is weird how we are all about schedules here and try to keep our babies on a schedule from when they eat, sleep and poop lol.
ReplyDeleteHave you guys tried to get the aunties to implement some kind of schedule?
The guy that hangs around the haven does he ever try to come in and play with the babies or does he just walk around?