Lessons from little ones — and how they’ve helped me grow, too.
When I began my journey in early years education, I stepped into it with open arms — ready to nurture, guide, and support children as they grew. Over the years, I’ve worked across many settings, met so many little personalities, and carried countless memories in my heart.
But what I didn’t fully realise back then was this: the greatest growth wouldn’t just happen in the children I cared for. It would happen in me.
With every setting I’ve worked in, every child I’ve met, every parent I’ve partnered with, I’ve learned something new — not just about early childhood, but about myself.
And just as the children have been my greatest teachers, so too have the educators I’ve walked alongside.
I’ve had the privilege of working with passionate, inspiring professionals whose creativity, care, and commitment have left a lasting mark on me. From the quiet strength of a calm presence to the playful spark of a well-timed idea — I’ve witnessed first-hand how powerful our impact can be when we’re connected and intentional in our practice. And like all of us, I’ve had moments that reminded me what I chose not to carry forward — lessons that nudged me closer to the practice I now hold dear. And I’m constantly reminded that when we learn from one another — the good and the hard — we grow stronger as a sector and better for the children we serve. It’s this shared journey of reflection, connection, and continuous growth that makes our work so meaningful — and so worth celebrating.
Becoming a parent changed everything again. It shifted my lens. It softened some parts of me, strengthened others. It gave me a deeper compassion, a new kind of patience, and a far greater understanding of just how much we hold — as caregivers, as humans — in the everyday.
Children have become my everyday teachers.
They’ve taught me to:
- Slow down and see magic in the mundane — in the dance of leaves, the wonder of worms, or the joy of mixing mud.
- Let go of perfection and find meaning in mess, beauty in the becoming.
- Value emotions, not rush them away — to make space for feelings, and show up with empathy.
- Keep growing, just like them — wobbly step by wobbly step.
In their play, I see purpose.
In their words, wisdom.
In their trust, a reminder that this work we do matters deeply.
We speak often of preparing children for the world — but the truth is, they prepare us for something, too. They awaken something in us: a gentleness, a presence, a purpose. Now, with each passing year, I realise how much I’m still learning — how much more whole I am because of the children and educators who’ve walked through my life.
So, whether you’re a parent, an educator, or someone who shares space with children, I hope you remember this: you are shaping them, yes.
But they are shaping you too — in the most beautiful, unseen ways.
Guiding The Young Ones 
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