We Should Let Kids Struggle
A little bit of struggle is probably okay
A Little Bit of Struggle
I popped in to see how my daughter was getting on with some maths home learning this week.
She was stooped over her laptop, hands up against her head, and she was clearly struggling. She looked up at me, grimacing, and I immediately wanted to go over and help her out. I hate seeing my kids struggle.
However, on this occasion, I held my ground at the door, smiled and told her to watch her posture. As I left her to it, I heard her “humph” as she straightened up in her chair.
Half an hour later, she emerged from her room, satisfied (I sensed) that she had completed her work.
Cohelo’s Butterfly
The best story I have ever come across regarding struggles is this 5 paragraph classic from Paulo Coelho:
A man spent hours watching a butterfly struggling to emerge from its cocoon. It managed to make a small hole, but its body was too large to get through it. After a long struggle, it appeared to be exhausted and remained absolutely still.
The man decided to help the butterfly and, with a pair of scissors, he cut open the cocoon, thus releasing the butterfly. However, the butterfly’s…
