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As a parent, I think that it's important to be on the look out for ways to take the seemingly simple moments in life and turn them into important lessons. For instance, there was a time that such an opportunity presented itself and I was able to help my 5 year old learn about courage.
My son’s lesson in courage took place at the local
playground. With the way that it’s set up; with its slides, swings and
obstacles that start off basic, but gradually become more challenging as you
move higher in a particular age group;, it is the perfect breeding ground for
self-exploration and discovery. Up until this point my son has managed to
conquer all of the equipment, with the exception of one. Far on the other side
of the playground territory lies a jungle gym that is approximately 30 feet
high and made almost entirely out of stretchy rope which interconnected into a
pyramid-like structure. The first time that he tried to climb it, he grabbed
hold of the bottom rope, looked up and froze with fear. Seeing how high it was
along with noticing that the only kids that were climbing the jungle gym were a
bit older intimidated him.
Usually, I try to make it a point to occasionally take a
back seat and simply observe in order to allow my son the space that he needs
to develop his independence, but this was a moment where I knew that I needed
to step in. I came over, took him by the hand and listened while he told me why
he was so afraid to climb the jungle gym. I smiled and let him know that it was
perfectly normal to be afraid; But not allowing that fear to keep him from
doing the things that you want to do? That’s the meaning of courage. I even
invoked the memory of one of his favorite characters, Dusty Crophopper from
Planes the Movie. My son has a special connection to Dusty because this was the
first movie that he saw in a theater and he's been hooked ever since. In the first movie, Dusty is faced
with a number of hurdles that stand in the way of his goal, including fear.
However, he digs deep and finds the courage to win the race. Now that the sequel,
Planes: Fire and Rescue is coming out really soon, it was the perfect time to remind my son
of Dusty’s display of courage and it definitely seemed to motivate him.
All Planes: Fire and Rescue merchandise can be found at your local Walmart. My son was particularly fond of the bedding (shown in the first picture) and now he gets his daily dose of courage every night as he pulls his comforter over himself.
After we finished
talking, he was determined to try again. As he hoisted himself on the first
level, I shouted words of encouragement and coached him along the way as he climbed higher and higher.
All Planes: Fire and Rescue merchandise can be found at your local Walmart. My son was particularly fond of the bedding (shown in the first picture) and now he gets his daily dose of courage every night as he pulls his comforter over himself.
It's #PlanestotheRescue! |
Once he
finally reached the top, he looked down and yelled, “Daddy look. I did it”.
Seeing him up there feeling accomplished was one of my proudest moments as a
father. He confronted his fear and did not let it deter him from reaching his
goal. I can only hope that teachable moments such as these will continue
throughout his life, so his character can develop even further.
Nowadays, there is a different tone at the jungle gym, fear
and apprehension has been replaced with confidence and excitement as he attacks
the obstacle with the agility of a spider monkey. He has even gotten me into
the act by challenging me to climb alongside him. I do my best to keep up, but
I don’t want to get myself stuck, or else I’ll have to get Dusty to come to my rescue!
And it's all thanks to his good buddy, Dusty Crophopper !
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