Be the Bridge of Warmth and Kindness
“The problem—as I’ve said for years—is that it is hardly ever possible to separate what we think about something from how we feel about it.” ~John Holt
One of my favorite John Holt quotes. I remember being taken with the idea that our feelings provide the ground floor of our relationship to any subject.
I often tell parents who’ve neglected writing, at least they haven’t damaged their writers!
When you want to incite interest, pair the subject with a
- nurturing,
- surprising,
- mysterious, or
- adventurous context.
Imagine how the subject will feel, not just what information you expect your kids to retain. If you do that, you’re halfway there before you start!
If, however, the subject feels tedious or torturous, it may take a little recovery time.
- Take a break.
- Ease into the subject with a game or pair it with treats.
- Sidle up to your child (not standing over, not across from), and do it together.
Be the bridge of warmth and kindness while your child bravely faces what was previously painful.
You can do it!
This post is originally from Instagram and @juliebravewriter is my account there so come follow along for more conversations like this one!
