Bike Accident Boo-Boo

Sep 032014
 

 

 

Torn front wheel of a bicycle after a crash wi...

Torn front wheel of a bicycle after a crash with a car (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

 

I was packing for a trip with the TV on in the background.  Instead of heading to bed early so I could be fresh for my trip, I stayed up to jot some thoughts about a  bike accident.

Were there flames, fatalities or drama?  On the surface there was nothing unusual about the incident.  Or so it seemed at first.  A young boy was riding his bike, hit a pothole, fell off and broke his wrist. He had a bike accident and his Mom is suing the city.

[Tweet “Were there flames, fatalities or drama?”]

When asked why the city should be held responsible she replied “Hellooooo.”  That was the entire comment.

Of course I feel for any child with a broken bone — it hurts. It’s unfortunate. And I understand parents feeling angry when children suffer: those feelings are normal and natural. And of course cities and towns should to their best to make necessary road repairs.

Kids fall off of bicycles and get hurt. It happens: neither riding a bike nor conquering gravity are particularly easy skills to master. But a broken wrist in not a fatality. Painful? Inconvenient? Scary? Sure — so are lots of opportunities for growth.

Intended or not, actions have consequences — even driving our bikes in unexpected directions.

Have you ever been frustrated by making repeated requests about basic chores or responsibilities?  Laundry that doesn’t make it to the hamper?  Book bags that don’t get cleaned out?  Toys that aren’t put away?

At that point some parents are able to let certain laundry go undone, permission slips unsigned and toys “‘go missing.”  It’s generally an effective way to stop nagging and help kids connect the dots between the request and the consequence of not following through.

However there parents who offer to serve detention for their kids and even one who drove the get-away car for her “baby’s” robbery…  sometimes parental love gets in the way of more rational thinking!

[Tweet “Sometimes parental love gets in the way of more rational thinking!”]

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P.S.  I think extreme examples can be useful in checking our own decisions so  I’ve got a collection of old news articles here. They’ve sparked some lively conversations in parenting groups.  (And, please, if you’ve got one to add, send me the link!  I love this crazy collection.)

 

 

 

 

 

Family Stories

Aug 202014
 

Today’s guest author is my 16-year-old “bonus son” who has spent another summer with us, creating more new “family stories and legends.”
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My name is Luis. I am half-German and half-American. I grew up in Berlin, Germany and, of course, spoke only German. Even though my Dad speaks only English, we had good visits when I was growing up: I got to see his world in the U.S. and he got to see some of Berlin. We had a strong connection but no direct, untranslated verbal communication.

Like all kids in Berlin, I started learning English in the 3rd grade. I never felt like being lazy about it. I wanted to communicate directly with my Dad. Even though I had not yet met all of them, knowing that I had a large, extended American family gave me even more motivation and discipline.

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[Tweet “My desire to know my American family has been important in developing my love of language.”]

Learning a new language meant — and still means — entering a whole new world. All the experiences that come with being immersed in another culture become both easier and more intense.

My extended American family did not know me either and they did not help with my actual studies but the desire to know them has been important in developing my love of language. I am in the 11th grade and, in addition to English, am learning three more languages.

Languages are the doors to new cultures and their people… vacations and their unique experiences and special moments. These things can become knowledge and wisdom… family stories and legends.  Coming to America each summer improves my English and deepens my connection to this part of my family and my American roots.

Now when we spend time together I’m as likely as anyone to start the flood of family stories by saying, “Remember the time….”

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[Tweet “These things can become knowledge & wisdom,  family stories & legends.”]

Related articles

Creativity and Kids

Aug 062014
 

 

The ballerina princess Goalkeeper!

The ballerina princess Goalkeeper! (Photo credit: Beaumonth (Updated))

I have been enjoying blog posts from Minette Riordan for some time.  Today we are fortunate to have a guest post from her.  Enjoy!

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From the time she could pull on her own clothes, my daughter has had a distinct love of playing dress-up. At age three, she would regularly waltz through our life proudly sporting cowboy boots, a tutu and her fairy wings.

My daughter wore that outfit everywhere for about a year and I just let her. I tried to nurture her love of color and texture. [Tweet “We are delighted to offer a guest post from Minette Riordan today.”] By allowing her to dream, she is learning to dream big.

Creativity is key to our children’s success but according to many recent studies, our children are becoming less and less creative. As a parent, I find this both sad and scary. Creativity is at the core of genius in every discipline. At the root of creative thinking is our ability to imagine what could be possible. Without this type of imagination, we would not have airplanes, electricity or vacuum cleaners.

All children are creative. It’s how they learn, explore the world and solve problems. I firmly believe that [Tweet “…we have to get our children outside, away from television, the internet and video games and remind them that human interaction is still their most important life skill”]

Nurturing your child’s creativity is fun and easy to do with just a small effort on your part.

Please don’t confuse artistic talent with creativity. Every child is unique and creative, just like my daughter with her early passion for playing dress-up. The number one key to nurturing your child’s creative spirit is to listen and to watch. What are they interested in? Find out more about their interests; indulge them, even if their passion only lasts a week or a month.

Create opportunities for your child to experience different people, cultures, environments and adventures. You don’t have to travel around the world to make this happen. A trip around the neighborhood, to the local library, museum or the grocery store can open up a new world to your child. You will benefit, too, from these adventures in creativity.

Invite your children to talk about what they see, to draw pictures of or to make up a story that describes their adventures. Or have them build their story with Lego, popsicle sticks or rocks and sticks in the backyard!

I believe that it is our responsibility to raise the future leaders of our world, to raise children who know how to think for themselves, who have opinions and know how to ask questions. Every brilliant invention started with a question and the search for an answer.

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Dr. Minette Riordan is an award-winning entrepreneur, author and coach who specializes in helping creative entrepreneurs to grow their business. She owned a parenting magazine for 11 years and is passionate about helping kids and adults tap into their creative genius.  You can learn more about her at www.minetteriordan.com  Or connect now via Twitter or her Facebook Page

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