Author and education, Michele Borba, Ed.D, has a question for you: How do you want to be remembered? She wants you to imagine that your kids are all grown up with families of their own. They are reminiscing about their childhood and describing what it was like to have you as a parent. Do you want to be remembered for all the activities you signed your kids up for or for the simple lessons you taught your kids, like how to laugh, how to act with confidence or how to be resilient? Do you want to be remembered for the times you spent playing with your kids?
All too often parents spend more time worrying about getting their kids into the “right” playgroup, school or class. They spend countless hours chauffeuring their kids to activity after activity never stopping to breath. Many kids today or over-scheduled to the point that we are seeing kids stressed out at an early age. We forget that kids need time to be kids.
We focus so much energy on making sure our kids have all the latest gadgets and doo-dads to stimulate their intellectual development. We forget that kids learn at their own speed in their own time. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for intellectual development but I think sometimes we go too far.
I hope that when Tyler describes his childhood and my role in his development he will remember the little things we did together. Like playing basketball, or talking walks around the neighborhood. I want him to remember movie night, storytime and spending countless hours coloring or playing board games. I want him to remember hours upon hours we spent laughing or just goofing off.
I also want him to reflect on my involvement in his educational upbringing. How I nurtured his inquisitive mind, always taking the time to answer his questions or helping him to find the answers for himself. Not the times I quizzed him with flashcards. I want him to remember the times we strolled through museums and art galleries or explored caves. Little things that make a lasting impression. I don’t want his childhood to be a blur of constant activity, being shuffled from this activity to that or to this practice or that game. I want Tyler to remember me for the type of person I was and not just for the activities and classes I enrolled him in.
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