j.p. serrano

This past weekend my family joined our extended family in a trip to Joshua Tree to watch the Perseus Meteor Shower. This gave us the chance to do some hiking/light bouldering with the children and work on some values that I’m trying to instill in them–namely bravery and an attitude of adventuring.

There is a rule one must learn quickly when parenting children. They are sponges and mirrors. Meaning that they pick up information and words very quickly and they also mimic the attitude of the adults around them.

Two Stories:
When walking up the side of a rock pile, I called out to the children to be careful because the path was getting a little “Sketchy.” Immediately Caedmon (my 5 yr. old daughter) looked behind to Levi (my 3 yr. old son) and said, “Be careful, it is getting a little catchy up here.” Very Cute.

The whole time we were on the hike/bouldering expeditions, I tried to touch and help the children as little as possible. I did this mainly in order to help them feel confident in their ability to climb and give them a sense of accomplishment at the end of it. I think it worked because of what I saw and heard from Caedmon the next day.

We were in the middle of a rock formation with towering sides about four feet apart and a narrow walkway that we had to use both our hands to balance on. It was a steep climb that required everyone to have full awareness of their bodies. I stood under my daughter, arms out in case she fell, as she was climbing up. Her legs began to shake and I told her “you can do this.” Her legs began to shake even more and then she started to repeat “You can do this, you can do this, you can do this.” Just at the point where I thought she was going to give up, her knees were knocking, she took a big risk and used one foot to push herself up to the next hand hold. Inside I was exuberant. She pushed through the shaking and didn’t let it stop her. She used the adrenaline rush as a tool to move herself forward. She could have easily let the fear and shaking stop her, but she didn’t….she used it. This is exactly what I want for my children to push forward despite their fear.

I want my children to get scrapes, bruises, and scuffs while doing these types of things. I wouldn’t even mind if they broke an arm or something (I’m always mindful of their head and core though). I would be more unhappy with the inconvenience it would cause than the break. Because for me……They are adventuring and exploring and this is an important trait I want them to have. I want them to be self-sufficient with the firm belief that they can push through anything. I want them to look at problems and say I can solve them. These traits all start now with the kind of adventures we take them on.

I am so happy to have a brother in-law that feels the same way. I heard him impart some good wisdom to Caedmon who wanted to take the same route over and over. He said, “Here’s something I want you to learn, when you are on an adventure never take the same way twice.”

Well Friends, tonight is the second night that my son is spending in his big boy bed.  It is amazing how children are different.  With Caedmon, tell her to go straight to bed and she listens, it has been like this from day one.  She will not get out of bed, for the most part, it is as if there is an invisible barrier that is keeping her on the bed.  Levi on the other hand is quite the opposite, we put him in bed and find him 20 minutes later playing with the puzzles, while his sister, still in bed, is reaching down to play with him.—-Trouble I Tell Ya!

The above picture was taken as they were waking up from their nap today.  Levi decided to get out of his bed and go sleep at the foot of his sister’s bed.  When Jess and I went to get them up from their nap, the above is what we found.  We laughed………out loud!

Parenting is an adventure.  It is true what they say, if you pay attention, your children will show you how to raise them.  Caedmon only needs a word, while Levi needs reminders and physical guidance.  I wonder what the next child will be like.  I hope they are as easy as these two.

peace,

-jps