Lessons From My Kids


Society has lots to say about "kids these days" and how we're not raising them right.  We are apparently a generation of helicopter parents, rushing in to save our kids from every potential bump and bruise.  We plug them in to screens and they have to be taught to imagine. Kids these days don't read books or entertain themselves.  They don't want to go outside or play with other kids.  And the list goes on.

Lots of it is true...some of the time.  Kids today are definitely growing up in a different world.  There are many ways that childhood is different in 2016 than it was in 1986 or 1956.  So very much of it is the same though!  Kids are kids and play is their language.  Play changes as they age, but if you take a kid outside they're gonna figure it out!  This weekend we visited our friends up in Amber Lake. Three girls entertained themselves for HOURS with a bucket of sand toys and three life jackets. They came up for snacks and to warm up when the water was cool in the morning, but they were quickly back outside.

We did some skiing as well.  Last time we were up at the cabin in June, the girls had time for one attempt at skiing together.  They fell and it was cold and they weren't up to trying again.  This weekend was very warm and they were up for multiple attempts.  They still got frustrated and wanted to stop. Scott encouraged/pushed them to try one more time and as often happens, they succeeded.  No big smiles though--they were still mad! ;-)






On Sunday they did it again and had a blast!  They were both on skis, they skiied around the whole lake.  They were having so much fun that they were playing, squatting down on the skis, splashing each other, skiing close to each other and then farther apart.  Just having fun!  Scott was so proud of them.  Skiing is something that holds so many happy memories for him and he loves that they love it too.  That's the great thing about kids--they don't know that something is supposed to be hard unless we tell them.  No one ever told my kids that water skiing is hard, so they've never thought of it that way.  What would you try if no one had told you it was hard?

As for me...I am still working on slalom skiing.  I can finally drop a ski and slalom that way!  Maybe next I can learn to start on one ski?

Comments

  1. aloha: I am ever so greatful that my grand daughters are not hooked on electronics. This is due to good parenting from both mom & dad.
    Scott is a wonderful--great--patient teaching & he has taught the girls the love his life. (WATER-SKIING) Alot of memories here with the girls learning sking. Was heart warming to be able to watch them learn to solemon ski in June. Girls--good job on all your achivements you have accomplished in the skiing world. Dad enjoyed ever minute of it & you made him one happy dad following his footsteps. Keep up the good work--next will be pymarids :-)

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