Picture this. Your child comes home with a special assignment from school. He's very excited about it and puts in a lot of time to perfect it. He's thrilled with the result and can't wait to take it to school.
A few days later, he comes through the door, picks a fight with a younger sibling and bursts into tears. Finally, he manages to tell you that the project he was so proud of was 'unacceptable,' that the teacher wants him to do it over.
What's your first reaction?
a) Protective - "I'll straighten this out."
b) Embarrassed - "MY son always gets good grades."
c) Angry - "That teacher is picking on my son!"
d) Worried - "This could be damaging to his self esteem."
e) Grateful- "He's got someone who's really going to push him to reach his potential this year."
I think that lots of parents want to believe that 'e' is the right answer.... I just remember wishing that it wasn't so difficult to stifle all of the other reactions on my way to that answer! Sometimes the urge to protect goes a bit too far.
As parents, it's not our job to see that our children never experience sadness, disappointment or frustration. As much as most of us would like to, we're probably not going to be able to keep those things out of their lives -- now OR when they become adults. But, we can do the next best thing.
We can invest the time that it takes to prepare them to face life's struggles.
Instead of trying to shield our kids from 'negativity' let's help them embrace tough situations. Why not use the bumps provided by the classroom or the playground to build the strengths they'll need when applying for a job or surviving an unhappy supervisor?
Isn't that real learning?
Andrea Patten is the co-author of What Kids Need to Succeed: Four Foundations of Adult Achievement now available on Amazon.com
To find out more about The Four Foundations or to request that Andrea speak to your group, please visit http://www.whatkidsneedtosucceed.com
"....beca use you're not raising a child, you're raising a future adult!"
There are a lot of sophisticated parenting theories and techniques... Read More
One of the questions I ask in parenting presentations is... Read More
Is it possible to be using our children addictively?Anything that... Read More
You no longer have to use Ritalin or other stimulants... Read More
Dear MomOn this day set aside to honour "Mother's" let... Read More
Child tantrums are a way for children to express their... Read More
All children will likely have many different health problems during... Read More
A common theme over the past 20 years has been... Read More
While on a recent trip to the grocery store, I... Read More
Beyond cases reported to authorities, little knowledge exists on the... Read More
Nothing touches the heartstrings of a parent more than the... Read More
When a couple steps forth with a baby in tow... Read More
Q: My husband and I are at a loss as... Read More
You are at the grocery store with your daughter and... Read More
"I wipe my baby's chin with my college diploma and... Read More
A while ago I received this story from David in... Read More
Mommy (Daddy), Why do those people want to hurt everyone?Last... Read More
There's a phrase that's become popular over the past few... Read More
The brightly colored plastic mobile dangles lazily overhead in the... Read More
While youth gangs are nothing new -- they've been traced... Read More
Recently, a much-anticipated game of mini-golf with my children soon... Read More
In today's busy world, many parents have lost the art... Read More
Having been a parent educator and a PBS consultant for... Read More
Many public schools not only fail to educate our children,... Read More
Children are moral and make moral determinations... at least until... Read More
As the new school year begins, parents play a pivotal... Read More
Here's a scene: A parent "might suddenly grab a happliy... Read More
Home, home on the range, Where never is heard A... Read More
Looking back through my files I've come across several great... Read More
One of the most prevalent problems of the computer age... Read More
Choosing to leave your child with a caregiver is one... Read More
1. STOP focusing on what you are going to make... Read More
It was the homework that did it. Each night became... Read More
After giving up my profession to become a wife, a... Read More
Back to school preparations are in full-swing. Soon, the first... Read More
Look around: Your kids are counting sleeps until the last... Read More
Do you think you really know your child? I don't... Read More
Imagine yourself lying flat on your back, totally strapped down... Read More
You're trying to catch up on some sleep on a... Read More
It's that time again! Parent-teacher conferences are coming. Are you... Read More
An apology is a sign of strength, not weakness. Sometimes... Read More
Just the other day my oldest son asked:"Daddy, am I... Read More
I hear from many parents that their child is stressed... Read More
Every parent wants their child to develop positive character traits.... Read More
Do you have a high maintenance child?"Thank goodness my second... Read More
While on a recent trip to the grocery store, I... Read More
Assuming there are no serious motor problems present, what can... Read More
In theory, working at home is an ideal situation. But... Read More
IntroductionChildren are the gifts of God to parents. That young... Read More
Not so long ago a dad-to-be would pace up and... Read More
As the flurry of Back to School activities subside, parents... Read More
Libraries offer more than books. They are places of learning... Read More
There are software programs that you can purchase to keep... Read More
I really like all natural remedy for Attention Deficit Disorder... Read More
As parents, we strive to address all of the questions... Read More
The human brain never actually stops developing. Beginning formation in... Read More
If your child has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder then at... Read More
When your child shows signs of potty training readiness, it's... Read More
Often, the struggle at dinnertime with your picky eater is... Read More
Remember when cash was a tangible commodity in all of... Read More
As part of the whole-language (or "balanced") reading-instruction philosophy, many... Read More
Today's dads are more hands-on than ever before and their... Read More
There is a new stage of development for parents to... Read More
How well do you really know your child?There is so... Read More
Prenatal intelligence, also known as fetal intelligence, has become a... Read More
Many reasons will cause some people to feel the need... Read More
Parenting |