Don't Rain on My Parade

I read a short but powerful post recently written by Richard Branson on why we shouldn't shrug off the innate enthusiasm children have for dreams and ambitions.  Often, at first glance the whimsical desires of young ones appear to us adults as far fetched. 

However, Branson reminded readers of this post that we can learn a lot from their natural growth mindset-a term I loved as soon as I heard it and aim to blog about very soon.

When my 6 year old said to me "When I'm bigger I want to go sky diving!" my first thought was I hope he doesn't.  I really hope he rethinks this and changes his mind.  Why would he want to do such a scary, life risking activity??!  Then I froze, I stopped myself from telling him all of the above.

I twisted my lips and restrained my thoughts which really wanted to rationalise and convince him that he could develop a fear of heights before that or he should really see things from my perspective.     He should understand just how dangerous such an activity is and just stay firmly rooted to the ground! 

I took a deep breath and held back allllll of my negativity and ability to rain over my son's parade when all he was really doing was sharing a desire to fly high without limitations.  His natural thought process was that he had thought about what it might be like to sky dive and he wanted to try it for himself.  He wasn't caught up in the possibility of it going wrong, obstacles getting in his way or what anybody thought of it.  -He was saying what he thought because he had no reason to doubt his own ability to achieve it no matter how absurd  or dangerous or impossible it might sound to anyone else.  

                                            
                             

I had to check myself because I realised I so flippantly and easily wanted to do what I'm constantly telling parents and carers of my students not to do!  Don't limit your child's potential.  Don't allow your own fears and anxieties to block their greatness!  Allow their confidence to grow in all areas of their lives especially in their minds as that is where ideas are born.  Let your children flourish is a go-to phrase of mine because I believe in standing back to see the beauty that already exists within but yet, there I was about to follow all the wrong impulses to clip the wings of a 6 year old fledgling who was only using his imagination!  I collected myself and nodded at him, realising this could and would be one of his many dreams and desires and I needed to continue to remind myself it was my job (yes, to protect) but also to encourage his wonderful ability to dream as this is the beginning of achieving. 

"No idea is so outlandish that it should not be considered."
- Winston Churchill

                             

My toddler also showed me both  my will power and determination were pitiful to say the least in the same week as the sky diving episode.  Aged two and full of more energy than the Duracell bunny, this boy is difficult to contain.  Trying to complete any task with him in the room means running to and fro all the rooms in the house several times before he settles.  There is only one room in which I felt absolutely sure I could complete a blog post while he plays or scribble a script whilst he watches a favourite show without him running around 'investigating' my kitchen cupboards and their contents or testing how quickly he can make his way upstairs and into the bathroom without interruption.

                                                              -The living room.

                                       

Our living room door handle is too high and the door itself is too stiff for a toddler to handle-or so I thought.  Even the adults of the house struggle to get in and out with one hand. 

But one afternoon whilst I sat in my favourite comfy chair, typing away on the laptop, I noticed him jump up and abandon his pile of building blocks and head to the closed door.  I took little notice as I had full confidence that he couldn't open it and try as he might on his teeny tippy toes he couldn't. 

Well, a steady struggle ensued and I watched as this determination grew and grew inside my child as he looked over his shoulder at me with a look that said 'Really? You're just going to sit there? OK, well I'll do it without you!'  Sure enough he did.  To my amazement, my toddler abandoned the tip-toe idea and clambered on the couch, and used all his might and all the force he could muster over the course of ten minutes and finally the door gave way to this child's grit and resolve. 

I was left aghast by how much effort my toddler had put in to escaping the room (yet another door to baby-proof) and yet he seemed soooo aloof as he made his way to the kitchen to cause mayhem and discombobulation amongst my pots and pans once again!  I was still sitting there shaking my head in disbelief at how incredible children are and at how easily adults are deterred by various obstacles that are put in the path of achieving our goals. I made a note to self at that point that I needed to take a leaf out of his book.  Keeping my eye on the prize was no longer enough after witnessing such amazing determination.     It was the kind that many of us can't muster even with the best of intentions after failing once.  Encouraged to pick up the pace and meet my goals head on, I decided to borrow the phrase of entrepreneur and fellow author Carrie Green, which seemed to fit my toddler's actions perfectly.

                                                  'I can and I will.  Watch me!

Share your children's 'watch me!' moments below :)