Thursday, September 27, 2012

The body part game

"Touch your finger to your ear (repeated by children) touch your wrist to your nose (repeated by children) touch your elbow to your knee, touch your knee to your ankle, touch your wrist to your chin." The song continues with a pop-rock tune as the preschool children follow along dancing and imitating the movements provided by the teachers.

Greg and Steve have been around for years with their educational music designed to target young children, which is why we as a preschool staff, use their Cd as part of our music time.

This particular song brings a smile to my face every time we dance to it, not only because it's a fun and interactive but because of a couple of our children this year have body part issues.

Let me explain. We have one little boy who, due to a type of cancer, has had one of his eyes removed and replaced with a prosthetic one. To look at him straight on one would never know. His mother sends him in glasses, not for his vision but for protection.  When we first met her, as well as her son, she mentioned in a nonchalant way, he has popped his eye out before.  If it was to happen in class, not to worry we can just put it back in.

At this point I thinking to myself, 'Lady if it happens on my shift I'll be calling you.' Can you imagine an eye rolling on the classroom floor with preschoolers around. "Hey kids, stop and listen, we need to find 'Johnny's' eye.

Then there's the other little boy who is deaf without his cochlear implant. His implant is much like a hearing aid but with a magnetic device that attaches to one side of his head.

He's been known to remove it and if that being the case, I'm not afraid to put it back on. The only danger is if the magnetic touches the other side of his head where his shunt resides. It's a tricky situation.

So as we dance and move to 'The body part game' I'm hoping we don't have to, 'Put your eye in the socket, remove the implant from your shunt.......'

"That's the way we play the body part game."

9 comments:

Shelly said...

Oh, I had to smile! I also love the resilience of young children (and their teachers) who deal with such major situations in a matter of fact, can do way.

" Hit It......." said...

That's funny. I would have thought the same thing about an eye rolling out if a some mother told me to put it back in. I would be a little grossed out and then give her a call.

Can I tell you how lucky you are to work with children. I am head HR and I feel like I baby sit a lot of adults. Kids are a lot more fun and innocent. :)

Amy @ Keep'n The SunnySide said...

Well I have to say, that a mom saying just go ahead and pop it back in would make my
mouth drop open. A few months ago, I watched an episode of "How it's made" and they were showing how prosthetic eyes are made and WOW are they realistic down to ever detail, vein, etc. They showed how easily they are put in, and I'd say you could do it. It might turn your stomach, but its not painful. Bless his little heart. Your a trooper for working with small children, it takes so much patience and love.

Julia said...

Oh my, I'm learning new things on your blog. My brother has a friend who's little girl has a glass eye because of cancer but I didn't know that they pop out and that they could be just put back in again so easily. I imagine that they have to be cleaned before putting them back in.

The ceramic tile installer who worked in renovating my bathroom has a cochlear implant but I never knew that it was magnetically attached.

I enjoy reading of your kids adventures.

JB

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

Wow! You don't have to look very far to see some really amazing kids, do you?

I think I would be freaked and I'm an ER nurse.

Hope you can get through the body parts song without any mishaps.

Julie Harward said...

Hi there...oh my goodness, I have worked with kids for lots of years but never had to face something like this! Poor little guys, bless them for having you at this time in their lives. You have a good year with preschool, I know how important this age is. Happy Fall. :)

Jenny Lynn said...

Oh my goodness, as I read about the eye I had a vision of you all on your hands and knees looking all over for his eye. Really hope that you don't have to deal with that situation.

Emmy said...

Oh yes, I do not think I could put the eye back in either!

Rachel said...

You have a way of totally making me snort! I love this!!!

(And there was never any shortage of accouterments flying off my classmates in special ed... cannot tell you how many times I had to dodge airborne hearing aids, glasses, crutches, etc.

But an eye? I think I would have kinda sorta freaked.