Kids Make Us Smarter

Kids make us smarter. From the time they enter our lives, they are an ever changing organism, a constant loving presence in our lives, evolving in a complex world.     Each new generation teaches   the current one-us, called parents, the new reality, the updated version of where we began as children- decades earlier.  

With every action in life, there is an equal and opposite reaction, similar to the law in physics. And so, we respond accordingly- to our children - in a reactive or proactive approach as they interact with us, each other and the world around them.  We are their guardians and we learn from them as they, learn from us.  We study our child, to understand who he is and where he is going, each one bringing a different set of characteristics and interests to the parenting table.   Our plastic brain is energized once again. ... New scientists have entered our lives. ...   New adventures await....  It is our job to be vigilant of the circumstances that surround them and guide them.   It is our right and responsibility to govern/control their world, the environment in which they live, work and play.  It is their right and responsibility, however, to govern their responses within it, in a mature and thoughtful manner, every step of the way.  ...  We are here simply to catch them.  

A formidable time period is looming on the horizon: adulthood disguised as the teen years. ...   (For us, it occurred within a time span of four years when our three sons entered this most chaotic, unpredictable period of life).  ...   As mentioned in (When Worlds Collide2012), boundaries were in place, reminders of  the choices that had to be made, daily, weekly, monthly and yearly. They are the maps that help determine the costs of each choice or decision made along the way to adulthood and beyond. Dismissing these cues or the parameters of life comes with consequences, some of which can be life altering. ..  As parents we are positioned to assist our children with these future life decisions, such as: post secondary education, career options, to name a few. There is no doubt that these 'fences' form the foundation upon which children 'build' their lives, find direction and form close bonds with others. We watch. We guide. Sometimes, we simply listen and respond with insights that may or may not have been thought about previously. 

Answering a child’s questions with the timeless parental response, ‘because I said so’ does little to solve a problem or dilemma. No purpose is served. The comment only serves to confuse and belittle our child. Today’s children are not easily  manipulated  by rhetoric and our attempts to steer them in a certain direction. Sometimes, their understanding of the world around us is greater than our understanding of it. They know. We follow.    

Today’s teens have the internet, as friend or foe, to address all of their queries or questions. Of course, the internet isn’t always truthful and mom and dad are not necessarily a requirement for knowledge anymore.  As our children reach this new stage in their development, a period of volatility or unease may arise. As parents, we do our best to advise or guide them. We know them best. But we must not be fearful.  We have had the best teachers in the world- our children- to help us understand this new world and their place within it. 

 Coming soon: The Bone Building Experiment 
                           The Special Ed. classroom, a design perspective, according to The Momsey