I made cookies with my 5 year old and her best friend today. They dutifully added the ingredients and stirred until we had a beautiful, butter yellow dough. I pulled out the cookie scoop and taught them how to form little rounds of sugary goodness. They tired of it quickly and headed off to play as I took on the role of little red hen. I filled the remainder of the cookie sheet with uniform balls, all perfectly spaced. That's when I noticed a 5 year olds attempt standing out like a sore thumb. It was half the size of the rest, and ill formed. It will burn, I told myself as I threw it back in the bowl.
I regretted it instantly.
It's a struggle to let a little ones work stand on its own. To let them feel successful in a job that seems half done and awkward to the adult world.
New Years Goal #342.
3 comments:
so well said
Our ward has been talking a lot about how (put bluntly) as parents we aren't letting our kids fail or do the hard things in life. And in turn they are paying a high price for it as adults. It's already difficult and my kids aren't even 2 yet. I imagine it only gets harder when the stakes go up. But I think you are right they need to find their own way. By letting them do things we are showing them that we believe in them and we stop denying them rewards unseen and felt which are missed if we take those opportunities away.
Wow, all that from a cookie.
Thanks Jod.
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