That Moment You Realize that Your 10 Year Old Son Might Be Listening…Sometimes
I often find strength and inspiration in a simple quote. I’ll dissect the quote or passage…gain insight, reflect, and learn. And when I have one of those ‘a-ha’ moments, it puts some air under my wings. Know what I mean?
Take this quote for example, about perseverance.
“Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.” – Samuel Johnson
What a great quote. Simple, poignant, powerful. A great lesson that I should weave into conversations with my children.
Well, last night…as I was yelling at my 10 year old son…a voice came into my head, and this is what he said:
VOICE: “Dude, let’s look at your parenting style, shall we?
ME: Sure. You mean all those times when I explain something so well to my children, that they have their own ‘a-ha’ moment. When they get a glimpse of the true lesson that I’m trying teach them, and become better humans?
VOICE: “Um…yeah. How often does it go down like that?”
ME: Well… More times than not. Right?
VOICE: “Um..no.”
ME: Well what am I doing?
VOICE: “Dude, you’re yelling. And you do this face thing. You know, when you look at them a certain way, and you just know that they’re immediately filled with a feeling of reverence and respect, and are totally tuned in to what you’re saying.”
ME: Yeah?
VOICE: “Dude, it doesn’t work.”
So after a few moments of my son looking at me, assuredly wondering why I paused mid-scowl, I decided to take another tact.
I asked him to write for me, 6 sentences, talking about why he should always finish what he starts. (You know, Perseverance!)
I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but about 10 minutes later he came walking back into the room. And what he brought back to me, left me speechless. I was left only with a huge smile, a deep breath and a nod. And I motioned to him a thumbs up, which meant: “You did good, you can go play Fortnite now”.
Below are the words that he wrote, I’ll hope you’ll read them through…for they are from the unfiltered heart of a 10 year old.
I shouldn’t give up on something I’m doing. I should always finish something I start. If I give up now I will give up later in life. If I don’t finish what I start, I will be lazy. Another reason I shouldn’t be lazy because I won’t have friends if I am lazy. There are many other reasons why I shouldn’t be lazy and not finish what I start. Most of the reason I give up is because I am being lazy or scared.
Speechless.
There are a great many things in his passage that I have been thinking about since last night, but none more than this:
“If I give up now I will give up later in life.”
Mic Drop. From a 10 year old. Who is apparently, occasionally, listening.
You know those simple quotes I mentioned? The ones that provide a little wind beneath my wings?
Bette Midler’s got nothing on my boy.
(It’s OK, you can look it up.)
