PRACTICE
Postcard from New Zealand
Leon Fulcher
Kia
ora everyone! While most of
you snuggle for warmth in a cold, snowy Northern Hemisphere world, spare
a thought for those of us having to work in New Zealand in that great
Southern Hemisphere summer where one can celebrate of Hanukkah, Eid,
Christmas, New Year and Summer holidays at the same time!
Somebody has to do it!
Quackie & the Snowman at Key Assets Fostering say Happy New Year!
Happy New
Year from Quackie & the Snowman, as well as everybody else at Key Assets
Fostering New Zealand this holiday season!
We tried to get involved with the cross-climate traditions of
Christmas, gave Quackie a Santa suit and had a shared staff lunch before
the holiday break. On this
Scottish Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve to the rest of you), from all of us
here at Key Assets Fostering New Zealand –– We hope you have a Happy
2009 – the New Chinese Year of the Ox!
May you and your families find patience and blessings!
Let’s try to be a blessing to
someone this year!
Key
Assets New Zealand
Staff Lunch
Good
fortune allowed me to spend Christmas and Boxing Day in a 3 generation
family with 2 young children.
What a treat that was for a novice grandfather like me!
As I do when around children, I was mesmerised watching Boogie
Man (it said so on his pyjama top!) – nearing age 2 – and his
interactions with family members – father, mother, grandfather,
grandmother, auntie, uncle, his new 5 week old younger brother, and me –
the old fella who slept in the tent!
One thing Boogie Man made me think about had to do with
cross-cultural celebrations and the way Santa can now be found as
frequently in the shopping centres of Islamic countries of the Middle
East or China, just as he does in Western
countries. Boogie Man
hadn’t learned about waking up early on Christmas morning.
I bet he’ll have that worked out by next Christmas!
Cross-Cultural Encounters with Santa
Because of all that goes on around the arrival of a second
child and the settling in of a baby brother to the social world of a 22
month-old little boy, the effects of transition were often observable.
Father had become all important!
Fathers frequently take on new child care roles around bath time,
reading at bedtime and early wake-up duties while mothers attend to the
new baby. Another primary
carer attends to Boogie Man!
When it works – as it did in this family – one can see how young
children thrive, string words together and acquire language!
It also made me think about the plight of young mothers caring
for 2 or 3 young children on their own without support.
Transitions for a 2-year-old
with arrival of a baby brother!
Boogie Man also made me think about
another feature that is common at his age – the pushes and pulls between
curiosity and fear/anxiety.
It took awhile before this little boy was comfortable sitting on Santa’s
knee. Who is this
unfamiliar person? What
strange cultural learning is being passed on from one generation to
another here? Or is this
someone Boogie Man knows dressed in an unfamiliar costume!
Yes Henry, it made me think of those myriad of roles that adults
can potentially play in children’s lives – parents, grandparents,
extended family members, neighbours, friends, their families,
playschool, soon primary education.
Children achieve and acquire such important developmental assets
living safely around adults who nurture pro-social and culturally
defined behaviours with children like Boogie Man and his brother.
You take care, eh? Thanks
Boogie Man for sharing your family time with me!
I loved it!
A New Generation – Ready to
explore the world!
leon@cyc-net.org
