We are visiting Kibeo Unity in Hansweert. One of the more than 150 BSOs that are participating in the Children are the Boss week of Kibeo this week. A week that we organize annually in the context of International Day of the Rights of the Child. Branch manager Milou de Bruin explains: “Freedom to choose for themselves and to shape their own ideas is so important for young children. At our branch we always take their wishes and ideas seriously, but literally handing over the lead, that is very special and unforgettable for children. They still talk about last year's week!”
The children of BSO Eendracht have thought and discussed well in advance about what they want to do this week. Three really fun activities are planned for this afternoon. “We start with a high tea and then you can choose between a beauty afternoon or gaming,” Tess (8 years old) tells us enthusiastically. We see the tiered stands with tasty snacks, prepared by parents, already ready. Fruit skewers, wraps with chicken fillet, strawberry cheesecakes… It looks delicious! The children are sitting around the low table on the floor. In between snacks, stories are shared about the weekend and guessing who brought which snack. How cozy!
Half an hour later, the children make a choice: do I take a seat in the beauty salon or do I join the gaming marathon? The children who want to get dolled up are sitting in a cheerfully decorated corner with mirrors, nail polishes and cucumber slices for their eyes. The girls help each other with face masks and have a lot of fun. “Look, I have rainbow nails,” says Lotte (7 years old) as she proudly shows her hands. On the other side of the room, a fanatic group of gamers has gathered. Controllers in hand, concentrated looks at the screen and children enthusiastically encouraging each other. The pedagogical staff are also allowed to try their hand at the Nintendo Switch. “And that's what I think is so great,” says Milou as she looks at it. “Occasionally reversing roles not only means a lot of fun for the children, but also brings the staff a little closer to their world.”
“Super fun!”, “Too bad we can’t do this every week” and “When we started gaming I was really happy”, are the reactions of the children when we ask them what they thought of it. Milou adds: “Being the boss for a while not only makes them happy, but also more independent and self-confident. They get the chance to make their own choices, form an opinion, show their creativity and take responsibility.” What is it actually like for Milou herself? Doing what the children want for a week? “After this week we are completely exhausted, but with a big smile on our faces. Yes, it requires a bit more, but we get so much energy from it that we are more than happy to do it. We are also raring to go for this week.”
The rest of the week is still partying at Kibeo in Hansweert. What else is on the agenda? “A lot!”, laughs Milou. “Wednesday is movie afternoon and Thursday we have a neon party with blacklight lighting. Oh, and we are also going to make slime, do face painting and neon painting!” As icing on the cake, the children have this year wrote a song and rehearsed a dance. In short, the Children are the Boss week promises to be an unforgettable week here in Hansweert. Hopefully it will be just as successful at all other after-school care centers. Many thanks to all the pedagogical staff and parents who help make this possible!
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