Wishing you all a heartfelt Christmas

So – a full year on and Christmas is once again nearly upon us!  How did that happen and what a strange year it has been!  But enough of COVID and what it has and hasn’t brought us – as Christmas approaches this year, we are thrilled to be collaborating with Heart Felt Tips.  Charity starts at home and this one genuinely does.

Just as we felt the name of our company, The Parent Collaborative, had to reflect what we were all about, so the name Heart Felt Tips encapsulates exactly what this charity is trying to achieve.  The idea is brilliantly simple. The execution of the idea is also, brilliantly simple.

Fill a pencil case with pens, pencils, crayons and any of the other stationery that we all have at home – (and in many instances have too much of) and then redistribute to others in order that they too can benefit from what a pencil case can bring to our lives.

Doing this, allows opportunity for very young children to think and feel deeply about others.  It is something that children can do by themselves – sharpening crayons, checking felt tips work, sorting, making decisions – but they can also do it collaboratively, in groups, sharing thoughts and ideas.  It brings together the concepts of thinking of others and finding solutions in order to bring about change – all under the sustainability umbrella of reuse, reduce, recycle.  There is balance between children doing something kind for others, others being able to use this kindness as a springboard for potential and for children feeling good and empowered about how much change small actions can bring about.   And all without the need for adults pointing this out to children!

For those of you who know Bella and me well, you will know how passionately we feel about Early Years Education. The concepts behind Heart Felt Tips fall heavily into the Montessori orb.  Independence, care for others, care for the environment, collaboration, interconnection and how much we all need each other. 

And so what does a pencil case actually bring to the table?  For so many of us, we almost take it for granted.  Perhaps most importantly, wrapped up in the whole concept of a pencil case, is that hugely powerful component – potential.

So – as a different Christmas draws ever closer, why don’t we rally together in the intimate bubbles we are allowed, to bring about heart felt change?  Let’s fill pencil cases and in the process, take small but real steps, to fill those huge gaps of opportunity and potential that are denied to many.