A Parent's View of Challenge
Lindon's Keyboard - A Parent's View of Challenge
A Webster’s dictionary definition of the word challenge is, "A demand for a contest"
As I have watched my kids grow at home and in the classroom, I have become more and more aware of the frequency with which they are challenged. They, along with their classmates, face test after test of their knowledge, skills and maturity. As a volunteer in the classroom I have had the opportunity to see the variety of ways in which these kids respond to the challenges. These challenges are more than a demand for a contest. There is ongoing pressure because they are constantly asked to perform above or beyond their current level of competency. In other words they are presented with challenges that require them to use skills they have not yet learned let alone mastered. Typically they respond by learning what they need to know and then eventually applying it. Some seem to thrive on this while others show frustration.
This process of having abilities challenged in order to grow and improve is found throughout life. If we wish to develop our bodies we must push them to their limits and in the process of recovery we will grow back stronger and fit. I have been told that plants and trees need to go through periods of drought in order to cause their roots to reach further and deeper in search of water. When the rains (or irrigation) return the plant’s system is now larger and more resilient resulting in growth that helps stabilize and insure the plants future.
When we get fat dumb and happy we are prey to falling into a state of decay that could be hard or impossible to recover from. When we think we know all we need to know and shut down our search for deeper understanding and awareness we risk de-evolving. At that point our life becomes nothing more than a habit repeating itself with small variations.
Some of these challenges were of our own choosing; they originated out of our desire for something. As it became clear to us that we were unable to get what we wanted we set out to find a way to overcome the obstacle. We may have just continued to try until we prevailed, we may have tried to get others to get it for us or we may have tried to find a more unique approach. In any case we had to develop something within ourselves in order to get what we wanted. The nature of our own personality combined with the quality of the environment around us determined whether we developed in a way that would support a happy, healthy life as an adult. An example of this would be a situation where what a child desires is scarce. One child might find that learning to communicate and share would get them what they want. Another child from a different home may find that physical force or intimidation will work. Both children end up with what they want but how they met the challenge will surely affect their quality of life as an adult. One thing to remember is that these challenges were intrinsic to childhood and cannot nor should not be avoided. Some of the challenges we face as an adult are related to how we dealt with certain challenges as a child.
Unfortunately too many people did not enjoy the challenges they encountered as kids and consequently shy away from them as adults. When we shy away from challenge we are also denying ourselves the opportunity to grow and improve. I believe this process of evolvement is essential to a healthy, happy and prosperous life. Unlike children who have little choice but to face the obstacles in their life, adults can avoid doing anything that causes them to feel weak or inadequate. So what you are avoiding then are things that may be essential to your health happiness or prosperity.
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