Hold on Tight
Our boys are ages 7 and 3. Raising them in the world as it is today is nothing short of intense and more often than not, unsettling. Heck let’s be honest, it can be down right terrifying. How are we supposed to raise children for a world that never stops changing, never slows down and is all but impossible to navigate, on so many fronts?
And Pretend It’s A Plan
I, and I assume we, have absolutely no idea…I definitely, really don’t.
I don’t know how to fix it, or change it. I barely know how to affect it. What I do know is I am committed to helping my sons thrive in it, to the best of their abilities.
So far, that looks like this:
*Allowing and encouraging them to play and be active as often as possible: play is one of the most effective forms of learning, and…childhood goes by so quickly.
*Non traditional education: allowing them to follow their interests with supportive guidance and direction.
*Focusing on basic life skills from a young age, such as cooking, budgeting money and resources, and learning to prioritize needs and wants.: doing our best to prepare them for success even if their environment changes.
*Allowing them access to many forms of technology: to help cultivate knowledge and skills of use, while limiting content variety.
*Intentionally exampling inclusion and acceptance of others while holding space for personal boundaries and needs: the importance of situational awareness without unnecessary judgement.
*Encouraging all types of respectful self-expression: teaching that the ability to recognize a reaction vs an emotion, and process the latter in a healthy fashion, is vital to all forms of growth.
*Exampling the importance of engaging independence and seeking teamwork: both are necessary for, well…everything.
Acknowledge Growth
The list goes on, but the most important aspect at this point for our boys, and us is probably:
*Iterating and exampling that we are all accountable for our choices and behaviors. We are accountable to ourselves and to others. I personally, often find myself apologizing to my boys. I purposely show them my imperfections and I allow them to hold me accountable. Their perspectives may be young and limited, but they are often powerful and true and less tainted.
Trial and Effort
Are we doing right by our boys? We would like to think so. Are we missing important aspects? We suspect so. Do we have all the answers? Absolutely not. Are we wrong at times? Yes, without a doubt!
Our perspective is likely to change over time. There are things we will wish we would have done differently. There are things that the boys will wish we would have done differently (and I am sure they will let us know). But…are we trying, loving and learning together? Yes, no matter the circumstances, with all the time we are given..
