Thanks for sharing your experience, observations, and research. And will done on holding space for your daughter. I loved your practical tips and will keep them in mind when I enter the homeschool years (my son is only one).
Reading your article, I kept thinking about my first year of parenting. At times I thought I was failing, but looking back I see I was developing resilience, patience, and empathy — much like your daughter.
It’s true that struggles signal growth; and they can also shape its strength. Like young trees that sway in the wind: at first they may seem to be struggling, but that movement encourages deeper roots and sturdier trunks, so they become stronger than trees never tested. I suspect your daughter didn’t just develop resilience, patience, and empathy—she developed them more deeply because of the challenges you described. What do you think?
Thank you for reading and commenting, it means such a lot. Yes, I wrote an additional reflection as a note the other day (after posting this article) that we also need to remember this as parents, because it is so easy to think we're failing/doing things wrong and feel guilty. But that is not helpful... as you say we are simply growing, and 'wobbles' are natural as part of the learning process. Love the tree analogy, so spot on! And yes, I think that she has developed those qualities more deeply through her challenges, definitely :-) She is teaching me every day about holding space for individual differences and letting go of conditioning.
Hi Gem,
Thanks for sharing your experience, observations, and research. And will done on holding space for your daughter. I loved your practical tips and will keep them in mind when I enter the homeschool years (my son is only one).
Reading your article, I kept thinking about my first year of parenting. At times I thought I was failing, but looking back I see I was developing resilience, patience, and empathy — much like your daughter.
It’s true that struggles signal growth; and they can also shape its strength. Like young trees that sway in the wind: at first they may seem to be struggling, but that movement encourages deeper roots and sturdier trunks, so they become stronger than trees never tested. I suspect your daughter didn’t just develop resilience, patience, and empathy—she developed them more deeply because of the challenges you described. What do you think?
Thank you for reading and commenting, it means such a lot. Yes, I wrote an additional reflection as a note the other day (after posting this article) that we also need to remember this as parents, because it is so easy to think we're failing/doing things wrong and feel guilty. But that is not helpful... as you say we are simply growing, and 'wobbles' are natural as part of the learning process. Love the tree analogy, so spot on! And yes, I think that she has developed those qualities more deeply through her challenges, definitely :-) She is teaching me every day about holding space for individual differences and letting go of conditioning.