13/06/23

Today in the meeting we had a discussion about Dre, the conversation was steered in the way of
routines and how we enforce them. Alyssa brought up that Ngaretta had said that even children with
multiple ways of being need be in program which was seen as being included in all routines. I tried to
bring up that while routines are important, so is the children’s wairua and rhythm, pace and that while
routines are important, even Moreso is the wairua of the child.

The conversation was quickly closed, and it was agreed on by Colleen and Alyssa that children would be
made to attend routine times such as kai time regardless of whether they were ready. I didn’t agree with
this but I didn’t feel empowered or safe enough to defend my concerns.

While children should be encouraged to join in at all routine times in our program, I believe we need to
follow the pace and rhythm of the child; children should be given lots of warning and notice before they
are encouraged to join in a routine time. For children with multiple ways of doing every day is different
and we must respect and acknowledge this, some days a child may be happy to join in routine times and
eat with everyone but other times they may feel unsafe or overstimulated and need a break from a
routine time, for example to be allowed to eat a little later or away from the other children if necessary.