My job is to build trust with toddlers. Working as a toddler nursery teacher gives me the opportunity to see the children I’ve watched grow in the infant nursery blossom into individuals who walk and begin to talk and start to form an idea of who they are. The developmental strides I am blessed to witness are monumental. 

Being two is tough. Emotions are becoming fully formed and understood, as is compassion, empathy, and love. The ability to communicate is still developing, but the desire is strong, so frustration is always right under the surface.

The philosophy of play at TSCS begins in the nursery, and the rope ladder to the treehouse on the playground is an outstanding example of this – I daresay it is the epitome of competency for a toddler. Some toddlers are monkeys in human clothing, but most are climbers at some point. The rope ladder is a kind of final exam to pass to prepare for Pre-K3. Conquering the rope ladder is one of my favorite moments in the comparably small amount of time I’m allotted to care for these wonderful children.

It starts as a waxing interest in occupying the first few rungs for a preferred time. Confidence builds. Practice is key, but patience is a virtue hard to attain for a two-year-old. Desire reaches a point where risk and bravery meet, the climbing commences, and one of my purposes is revealed. I am now a cheerleader and a spotter. Then something wonderful happens. They finally make it to the top! With encouragement and some well-placed suggestions, they climb from the top of the ladder to the floor of the treehouse and enter a brand new world, a place they’ve never explored with vantage points never before imagined.

Alas, a time comes when the toddler is ready to get down. But this asks for a whole new set of skills; one they’ve not realized they need to acquire! This moment is where our philosophy of play is of utmost importance.

The rules are simple: You have to do this yourself. I will be there with you. I will catch you if you fall, I will talk you through it, but I cannot intervene. I can guide your foot gently, I can point out suggested hand- and footholds, but this is all you. And you can do this.

I have spent hours talking toddlers down the rope ladder over the years, and every second was well spent. I have stood at the bottom for 30 minutes at a time, patiently negotiating with a two-year-old. My job is clear: They can do this, and I am here to bolster confidence and use their determination to their advantage.

The hardest part? The realization that they have to begin the descent on their tummy and trust that their feet will find the first rung through touch and not sight. This is also where the trust I’ve been building with them every moment of every day counts. I’m right there with them, but they must be confident in me as much as they are in themselves. The joy we all feel when they reach the bottom is astounding, and I am so honored to have witnessed them achieve this great feat.

What a wonderful lesson that we can all liken to our relationship with Christ. Without a steady practice of prayer and worship, how can we trust the Lord with our biggest hurdles in life?

May we all feel comfortable getting to know God every day, and with this constant building of trust, be able to rely on Him in our most needful times.