I get it… For us adults, mess rarely means fun. Yet, for our tamariki, mess is SO important and full of joy, excitement and learning. What if instead of “oh no”, we said…

“Woohoo, look how much fun you are having!”

Or

“Wow, you are making some new discoveries!”

Or

“Yay, look at you, giving new things a go!”

Our children’s inner voice is influenced by the outer voices they are hearing through us. What we say, how we react to and deal with situations and circumstances, teaches children how to react in similar situations.

Every time we are complaining about mess, we are confirming the belief that mess is something negative and best to be avoided.

Imagine the possibilities if we changed our perspective around mess-making: Through switching our mindset and by recognizing the learning that is happening during those ‘messy moments’, we are encouraging our children to be open to new experiences and confident in exploring the unknown, to trust the process.

I am not advocating for free range mess-making. Of course, boundaries must be in place: A wonderful opportunity to learn what it means to be responsible and treat environments respectfully.