Another successful year for Roots

A graduation of different sort took place recently at the Child Development Centre.

Five one-year-old babies were celebrated for their role in Roots of Empathy, a program to develop “emotional literacy” within grade school students.

For 10 months the toddlers, parents and facilitators spent one day per month in a classroom - anywhere between kindergarten and grade seven - while the students of those classes learned about babies and their needs while at the same time developing empathy.

The program just concluded its fourth year.

While the babies themselves clearly had a blast being the “teachers” of this program, the students also had a bit of fun themselves.

Tianna Manahan, a grade one student, said it was a lot of fun when the class got to measure their baby, Travis.

Classmate Chad Gardner also had a good time, enjoying when they got to sing to the baby. Over the course of the year he has learned a lot about babies and he would like to see another baby come to his class.

Kildala teacher Heather Gordon-Hall said that she “totally” enjoyed having a baby come to her class and said she would also happily welcome being chosen again next year.

The program first began in 1996 in Toronto and has since expanded across Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Australia. Studies at the University of British Columbia showed a significant decrease in aggression and bullying in children who participated in the program.