Summer 2009 has come and gone. All two weeks of it! Does anyone else feel like they blinked and missed it? Let's hope we have an "Indian Summer" this year so we don't feel entirely robbed.My post today is about children and letting them explore their interests. After having my own children I have become increasingly aware of the need for children to have the chance to explore every aspect of life possible. This is not to say they should be allowed to explore harmful things. Rather, the fun, exciting and wholesome things in life.
Several months ago I purchased a nice and somewhat expensive digital camera. Most adults would say that children should not handle it due to its cost and the high probability that a child will mishandle it and damage it in some way. This 'idea' to me is wrong. Yes there is definitely a greater chance that a child will damage something, however does this mean they should not be given the opportunity to LEARN how to handle more expensive things properly so they have the chance to explore and learn? Here is where the problem is. Parents and adults alike have become increasingly lazy yes, l-a-z-y over the years. As adults we not only should but are obligated to teach our children everything from speaking their first word to the challenges in life that lay in wait as they reach and surpass adolescence. Children are all too often underestimated. They are like sponges and soak up everything...the good and the bad!
The picture in this post is my eldest daughter who is 5 years old successfully operating my digital camera. She used it most of the day without incident. Why? Because her dad took the time to show her how it worked and how important it was to be careful because it can easily break. We need to stop and ask ourselves, 'Do I really own something so valuable that I cannot share it with my child once shown the importance of being responsible with it?' Really, is not our child/children our most valuable treasure? Let's get our priorities straight and encourage our children to explore their interests. You never know, maybe Haley will become a professional photographer. Maybe not. Either way, she is given the chance to explore and learn at an early age. In addition to learning responsibility in a world where even many adults do not know the meaning of the word let alone put it into practice.
