Do We Really Know Our Children?
Have you ever stopped to wonder if we really know our children?
Yesterday my post momentarily discussed some issues I have run into in some of Taliesin's classes.
A conversation last night at work made me think about this, though: how much do we really know our children?
When Taliesin's teacher told me that he struggled with maps or did not want to read in class, it did not surprise me at all. I knew that.
But last night some co-workers and I were talking about doing things with and without our kids. I am one who has problems taking part in activities that I know my sons would enjoy without them. And I'm the one who cannot do activities with other people's kids if I'm not doing them with my own as well. I can't bring myself to put time with other people ahead of time with my sons.
That leads me to wonder:
Would we know our children better if we trusted them to tell us how they are behaving and what they are learning, rather than relying upon a third party to do so? Would we know our children better if we took the time just to hang out with them the way we do with our friends? Would we know our children better if they knew our likes and dislikes and latest activities? Would we know our children better if, instead of complaining about them, we allowed ourselves to feel what they feel and see what they see?
I believe we have become a world that has almost forgotten the value of our own children. We do not discuss with them and entrust them with our secrets. We make them feel like outsiders while other people become insiders. Just imagine how that makes them feel.
This is where we need to begin if we want to boost the self-esteem and self-confidence in our children. We need to really get to know them and allow them to get to know us. We might be surprised. They might turn out to be good friends after all.
Yesterday my post momentarily discussed some issues I have run into in some of Taliesin's classes.
A conversation last night at work made me think about this, though: how much do we really know our children?
When Taliesin's teacher told me that he struggled with maps or did not want to read in class, it did not surprise me at all. I knew that.
But last night some co-workers and I were talking about doing things with and without our kids. I am one who has problems taking part in activities that I know my sons would enjoy without them. And I'm the one who cannot do activities with other people's kids if I'm not doing them with my own as well. I can't bring myself to put time with other people ahead of time with my sons.
That leads me to wonder:
Would we know our children better if we trusted them to tell us how they are behaving and what they are learning, rather than relying upon a third party to do so? Would we know our children better if we took the time just to hang out with them the way we do with our friends? Would we know our children better if they knew our likes and dislikes and latest activities? Would we know our children better if, instead of complaining about them, we allowed ourselves to feel what they feel and see what they see?
I believe we have become a world that has almost forgotten the value of our own children. We do not discuss with them and entrust them with our secrets. We make them feel like outsiders while other people become insiders. Just imagine how that makes them feel.
This is where we need to begin if we want to boost the self-esteem and self-confidence in our children. We need to really get to know them and allow them to get to know us. We might be surprised. They might turn out to be good friends after all.
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