Most of us operate within a certain comfort zone. In the book, Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway, Dr. Susan Jeffers says that we all make decision based on the “confines of our comfortable space.” We might be willing to pay $75 for a pair of shoes, for example, but would squirm if asked to pay $100. She recommends that we seek to widen our space by doing something new and uncomfortable each day. The risk can be small or bold. We should, as Nike says, just do it.
Jeffers’ book is not a parenting book, it’s a book about fear and how we let it stand in our way. Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy. As I was reading the information about our comfort zone, I kept thinking about this concept as it relates to parenting. If we step outside our comfort zone, we have the potential for forging a stronger bond with our children. We can easily close the generation gap by taking an interest in things that interest our kids. In doing so we get to know them better. This can be as simple as sitting down with our kids and learning to play one of their video games. It can mean learning to ride a bike at the same time they are learning to ride one.
I never learned to ride a bike and once Tyler came along, I promised I would learn so that I could teach him. However, I let fear (mainly fear of falling) stop me from learning to ride. I would not step outside my comfort zone and share this experience with my child. It didn’t stop him from learning because his father taught him. But many times I have thought about the fun we could have together riding our bikes.
So if your child wants to learn karate, step outside your comfort zone and sign up to take a class also. There’s a world of possibilities waiting for you and your child to explore.
See also:
Report Says Teens Enjoy Hanging Out At Home
Sharing Your Childhood Passions With Your Kids