"I, of course, have tried and failed many times at many different things, and every attempt makes me stronger and more resilient," blogger Samantha, from California, opened up to Bored Panda about her own life experiences.
"My kids should understand that failure is a necessary part of growth. One of my kids in particular gets especially frustrated when he doesn't get things 'right' the first time. But I keep reminding him that we can't always be naturally skilled in all areas, and working at things is how we get better." Samantha shared that parents can talk to their kids if they're feeling frustrated with the lack of success in certain areas.
Bored Panda also wanted to get blogger Samantha's take on what we can expect this summer to be like for families, considering the continued mass vaccination programs for adults and teenagers. She opened up about her own plans, too. "For me personally at least, summer is shaping up to be very different this year than last year. I've enrolled my kids in summer camp and summer school. Whereas last year, they were basically home all summer," she said.
"At the end of summer 2020, we did sneak away for a week in a cabin as a family. Just a few weeks ago this year, we took a three-day family trip to Disneyland. We're planning another road trip later in the summer, and lots of family gatherings."
Meanwhile, Samantha revealed that after talking to other parents she got the sense that everyone in California is feeling much more comfortable to engage in "traditional summer activities." From barbecues to sending kids to summer camp. "It's a great feeling to be able to return to these activities (and people!) we love," Samantha shared her hope for a return back to true normality this summer.
However much it might sometimes seem like parenting is an endless stream of fun and games, there are plenty of tough challenges that parents have to face every day. Stress, especially when seeking perfection, can lead to burnout and health problems. Fortunately, there are some very practical things that you can do to bring back a lot of the pleasure into parenting.
Earlier, counselor Katie Rose explained to me that parents should avoid worrying over not being ‘perfect,’ how resilience is essential for kids, and how gratitude can help deal with overwhelming stress. Katie is the founder of the Chigwell Therapy Centre and a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
"I think that as parents, we feel the need to be perfect,” Katie told Bored Panda earlier. “Usually, that means trying (and failing) to live up to unreasonably high expectations we’ve set for ourselves and are impossible to meet.”
The counselor continued about how avoiding perfection can, in fact, teach our children some very important lessons: "Instead, consider this. In order for our children to learn and grow, they need to understand that we’re not perfect—in fact, that perfection doesn’t even exist. Instead, by failing them in small, manageable ways, we help them learn to tolerate the small frustrations that they will inevitably face in their everyday lives in the future, helping them grow into successful adults."
Contrary to what some parents might think, (some) boredom is actually vital for children. “It allows them to tap into their own imagination and creativity, and learn to rely on themselves. Next time you go out in the car, suggest that instead of staring at their screens, they look out of the window. Notice where you live, where you’re going, and what’s going on around them. Be curious about what’s around you, and help fuel their creativity," Katie said.
Meanwhile, resilience is one of the most important character features to help your children develop. Though we might want to protect them from everything and anything bad, this might actually stunt their growth.
“Resilience is essential to help children grow into successful teens and young adults. While it’s important to protect children from the worst that’s going on around them, it’s also important for them to understand that things won’t always go their way, or that sad or difficult things might happen, and that they can not only tolerate them, but survive and thrive under difficult circumstances," the counselor explained to Bored Panda.
