Raising Children - The Apprentice Schooling the Mentor

I think as parents, we often feel inadequate because we aren't able to teach our children everything they need to know or what they want to learn. I look at my kids and I'm amazed at their capabilities. We've tried to teach them a few things, but then they took those things they learned on a basic level and and went WAY beyond what we taught them (or what we could have ever taught them). And that's ok. I do have a few skills and talents that none of my kids have been able to meet or exceed (yet) but if they do, I'm not so competitive that I won't praise them profusely and continue to support their efforts though.

I think, more than anything, what's important is that we help to stimulate their interests and curiosity and then provide fertile ground for them to grow. Give them space to play and work, the tools and materials to work with and the freedom to explore... also the freedom to fail and learn from their failures. But that's not all, encouragement, coaching and honest, constructive criticism is also necessary for proper development and follow-through on goals and intentions.

So-called "free-range" style of learning is nothing new. I have to give credit to my parents who provided us with opportunities for learning. We had the space, the time and the tools to do a lot that many of my peers wouldn't have even imagined and I think a lot of parents nowadays would cringe to know about those "dangerous" activities that children are involved in. I got my first power tools before I was even out of elementary school - and I learned how to properly use them. I had hammers and saws when I was beginning elementary school. I love that my parents were ok with me learning how to work with my hands and to explore and satisfy my curiosity with taking things apart to see how they were put together. I feel sorry for those who never had the opportunity to learn how to do practical things with their hands or to explore the world around them... and then they become adults with limited skills and fears of the unknown.

I may not be rich - as far as having lots of money - but I feel rich to have the blessings of knowledge and skills and a constant yearning to learn more. I am rich because I have children who are passionate about learning, exploring and building their skills and I can relate to them on matters that go deeper than games they've played or what they've seen on TV or what's current in pop culture. I mean, those are fun and all, but now when my kids are inviting ME along with them on their adventures and THEY are the ones who've developed their skills to where they're outdoing me and teaching me some things (the case of apprentice schooling the mentor), this makes me proud and I feel like maybe I've done something right as a parent.