on teaching.

If ever asked what carebear or smurf I'd be, I'd be either Teacher Bear or Bossy Smurf...Or maybe those two adjectives are synonymous!

Anyhow, the moral is, what I think is my talent, is teaching. I love it! I thrive on it.

And now, I am seeing how my need to teach is impacting my daughter...I wonder, actually, if having a teacher parent is really a positive or negative thing? I always thought it would be great for my kids because anyone I knew who had teacher parents were always the most talented and able in school. However, the downfall for having a teacher parent is that everything turns into a lesson.

And I am definitely guilty of being this kind of a parent.

I took e to the Y today, which we both love. When we pass the Y, e always yells, 'Gym! Gym!' It's she and my little oasis where we go and spend a little time just us two. It's awesome. It's needed for both of us. I always miss the old days when it was just she and me when we were inseparable; (though I wouldn't change the present for anything). I just really have to ensure we have our time. We're like two peas, she and I. Goofy and impatient to no end.

Anyway....

So we get into the pool, and as of recently, e has become a bit fearful of the water (thank God, because she used to be fearless and delve in head first when presented with anything!!!) So now she has grown a bit of fear, which makes her more reserved to do things.

Enter mummy teacher. Daddy teacher is more timid when presented with this issue, letting her sit on the sidelines in her comfort zone.

But not mummy teacher.

Mummy teacher sees this as a perfect moment to learn. There's some sort of life philosophy here about teachable moments, I am sure...Regardless, I was all, oh e, I am not gonna let you sit in your comfort zone here...Nope, if I let you sit back with this, then I will end up letting you sit out of other important things because of fear. Oh no, my dear, I am going to help you learn to look fear in the eye, stare it down, and walk head first at it...

ha. so there!

And so, with much encouragement, and a lot of nail marks in both my back and neck, I got e into the water and enjoying herself. She even walked a little on her own, without grabbing me fearfully. (And to be honest, I found her walking on her own to be very brave, because the water was  up to her chin!)...

So I made a consciously unconscious decision today; I will not be okay with my children avoiding things in life because of fear (well, let's be honest, within reason - it's okay if they don't want to jump out of a plane or bungee jump - and it's okay if, after they've tried whatever it is that they're unsure of, they dislike said thing, then hopefully I will have sense enough to back the f off!)

Until then, consider me proud mama, and definite Bossy Smurf (ette)!

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