Как да прилагаме демократични практики в ежедневието си

Същността на демократичния принцип е, че ние може да влияем върху решенията в дадена група или в семейство, преживявайки усещането, че нашите гледни точки са изслушани и уважени. Затова е важно ежедневието да бъде организиран по начин, така че децата да могат да се обучават в това да се чувстват значими. Ето и някои предложения за практики.


Отговорност и демократични дейности

Моля, помислете върху тези въпроси, преди началото на семейната среща:
 

  • Приемното семейство представлява ли място, където детето е настанено, единствено защото никой друг не го иска – просто чакайки нещо друго да се случи с него?
  • Или представлява ли приемното семейство място, където детето играе важна роля в ежедневния живот – където е ценено, където околните изслушват неговите мисли и идеи и оценяват неговата работа?
  • Нищо не прави децата по-горди от възможността да допринесат за общото благо!

 

Предложение за това как да организирате ежедневието, първа стъпка:

  • Divide the children into groups of 6
  • These are the Secure Base groups where they will be members for the rest of their stay. Their “Home” group.
  • Ask the children to find a proud name for their group (“The Supermen”, “The Flowerpots”, etc.) and a fine symbol (a bird, a lion, a sunrise, an Orang Utan, whatever). Ask them to make a poster with their group name and hang it up somewhere where it is visible for children and staff members.
  • Divide some of the daily work between the groups. For example, on Mondays the Flowerpot group is responsible for cooking and serving dinner/ Tuesday for cleaning/decorating some rooms, and the Wild Tiger group is responsible for cleaning tables and washing up after dinner on Tuesdays etc.
  • All groups are responsible for preparing the annual celebration party of the institution.

Help them find out what each child must do when they work together.

A suggestion for daily life organization, step 2:

  • Make an election day: each group must vote for one child in the group to be the spokesman of the group. A spokesman is elected for three months.
  • The spokesman is responsible for leading a half hour group meeting once a week. Here the children suggest activities, present wishes for improvements or they present problems that must be solved.
    For example: “There is no more soap” or “One of us has problems in school and needs help” or “should we arrange a party?
  • Another child in the group is responsible for the group diary: write down at each meeting what was said and agreed upon.
  • One caregiver is assigned to each group. The spokesman and the caregiver talk after the child meeting. They discuss how the problem or issue can be worked with.
  • The spokesman is responsible for bringing the results back to the group.
  • The caregiver is responsible for presenting colleagues with what the children’s group said, what they wish, and if and when it is possible to put this into practice.