This blog post is in response to reading Patricia Ellis Herr’s book, UP: A Mother and Daughter’s Peakbagging Adventures on hiking the summits of New Hampshire ’s White Mountains with her 5 year-old daughter, Alex. This is not a review. I received a copy of the book by virtue of my membership in www.fromlefttowrite.com.
Parenting comes with making so many decisions. The task can be overwhelming. A therapist friend told me she was so impressed when she asked a new father how he was going to parent his child and his response was, “I don’t know until I see who my daughter is.” Brilliant!
My son famously said, “I don’t care if my son is gay or a nerd or non-athletic, as long as he is not a Duke University
Trish Herr gave her daughters a chance to decide whether they were mountain hikers at a very early age. What she discovered is that little Alex not only had the interest but the drive to summit all 40 of the White Mountain peaks.
As I watch my 6 year-old grandson Tristan try on various vocations, I grin with delight at the choices and the changing of his mind. He wanted to know one day what he had to do to become “in charge of the room called Mission Control where the space shuttles take off.” But later when Pappa had arranged a visit to the Aviation Museum
Readers of this blog may remember the NASCAR driver, museum director and philharmonic conductor stages from this blog post: http://www.readgritandgrace.blogspot.com/2011/11/nascar-manager.html
It’s never dull with Tristan.
And little Miss Payden at 23 months show all the signs of becoming the next fashionista. When Mommy got dressed Monday evening she said, “Oh, Mommy, I love your bracelet! Oh, Mommy, I love your shoes!” Last night, it was, “Oh, Mommy, I love your boots.” And rubbing her hosiery but not knowing what it was called she said, “Oh, Mommy, I love this!”
But tomorrow, I’m sure she will be in her gymnast stage. Stay tuned. And parent with great latitude!
i, too, wrestle with how much to press and how much to let them determine their own way. i guess i won't really know until they grow up if i did a good job or not!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure we can EVER call the job 'done,' Melanie. So we just have to decide to let go and let them be whomever they were created to be. :-)
DeleteOne of my goals of being a parent is to open as many doors possible to the boys... and not block their entry. Easier said than done, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteLisa, that's one of my parenting philosophies as well. I want to encourage my kids' interests. They won't know if they like it they don't try, right? But easier said than done.
DeleteI commend your goals, Lisa and Kim! Keep it up. It will make a difference to your children.
DeleteI love this: "parent with great latitude." So important not to be so rigid and yet, at the same time, maintain some kind of form... Love your post, and all of the phases and stages your grandkids go through. So great to be a kid, right? Especially when the adults around you are operating with that latitude, so you can try something on, take it off, try something else... Great! XO
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Ariane. Yes, indeed, it is great to be a kid--the only thing greater is being the grandparent watching the kid!
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