There really is nothing more you can do to boost a child’s confidence than wake up to find him on the front page of the paper. And NOT for robbing a bank or something horrible…nope. For being a kick ass kid, who is quirky and fun and so smart.
Yes, I’m a proud Mom…but hear me out for a second- do me ONE favor, please..just one: Make sure you are encouraging your children’s dreams. Even if they seem insane. Even if that means they take a part your toaster. Even if that causes you to have to drive two hours every Sunday to a horse ranch (his sister) or even if that means telling them that anything, truly anything is possible. Even if you have to sacrifice more than ONE toaster, or DVD player, or old VCR.
Stop being stuffy and worrying about the stain it might make on your grass if you explode Mentos and pop. Let go of the idea that paint everywhere might destroy your table.
These are things I have had to learn to breath deeply over in the beginning. And I am so glad I have learned to forget about all the little things and instead embrace the fun and sometimes totally disgusting (family of caterpillars in my HOUSE anyone?) things in order to show my children how much fun learning really can be- and how it can truly bring them closer to their dreams.
This is also where I am glad my husband, even though sometimes it drives me nuts, is a giant kid himself. Because when you combine that with my children’s love of learning and science and animals and insects..you end up with two little rock stars who can and WILL do whatever they want in life. And I couldn’t be more proud.
*I can’t leave out the two teachers who have helped guide my kids through their first years of school, as scary as they were for us, after we left the ‘traditional’ classroom. Jenny Williams and Ana Donovan have been those teachers who my kids will never forget. You know, the ones where people ask you ‘who was your favorite teacher?’ and you immediately have fond and wonderful memories of those ‘special’ teachers that touched your life and made you who you are. Not only Have Miss Jenny and Mrs. Donovan done that for our kids, but they’ve done that for our entire family. Jack wouldn’t be on the cover of the newspaper were it not for them and their constant insistence that he can be JACK…not some strict and strapped down version of Jack. But Just Jack. Because he’s perfect just as he is.
You know full well where he derived his kickassness, no? Congratulate yourself just as much as you continue to lift him up. Also…this is awesome. And yes, I pause and breathe through and just say OK (as often as possible) b/c nobody, no one, not one person on this Earth, should be able to say they inspired your kid more than you (and we want them to remember all those experiments or lessons, or even things we said yes to that proved to them they actually DON’T want to be a doctor). I rebuke thee, stuffiness!
Love this post, it’s one of the bigger takeaways to this great interview of Neil Degrasse Tyson by Steve Colbert – http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YXh9RQCvxmg
The gist is the same – why worry over a $10 loss of some object when that’s such a small cost to allow your child to learn something.
As a new father to a 6 month, I look up at the stars whenever I walk out my door at night looking forward to all the things I get to teach him.
Amazing & inspiring !!
Way to go JACK!!!
Love, love, love this post! HUGE Congrats to him!! And to you, proud Mama. Because he really did need your support, your encouragement, your chauffeuring to make it happen.
Kickass kids come from kickass parents!!!
That is one cool apple ! The shelter that all of the people in his life provide has certainly helped him to bloom.