I recently took my boys to a bounce gym, which we frequently go to. On the Wednesdays that we go, my three year old has always looked at this obstacle course which requires you to jump from three large globes.
He never attempted it, always scared. Unfortunately he was gifted a competitive nature from both my husband and I, so any time he fails, he takes it to heart.
This time he climbed up the ladder, and as always, I expected him to climb back down. But instead he looked at me for some reassurance, and after I told him to go… he jumped.
The first few tries he barely made it or fell off. But he kept going, even if he got distracted and went to another course he would come back and try again.
After about 20 times (I’m not exaggerating) he finally made it through, and I have never seen such pride on a little person’s face.
I took video after video in hopes to catch this moment. But after I saw that he was getting defeated I put the phone down and cheered my dude on until he made it.
You see, there are so many lessons here.
- Never give up. Even if you go off course, always come back to pursue your goals.
- Don’t let the idea of “catching the moment” get in the way of being a parent.
- Always be their biggest supporter, because when they think they can’t, you’re the one they look to for affirmation.
- Learn from your defeat and try again.
And lastly…. watch the example you set for your children. If you give up when things are tough, that learned behavior will be what they practice. Luckily for me, my children will always have one of the toughest people in their corner. My husband has shown this determination to our boys, and now they are teaching it to me.
