Kids Grow Up by Doing Hard Things Jon Eckert
What do you do when you see kids struggling with something that is hard? What if the kids are your own?
Consider what would you do in each of these scenarios.
Elementary school: Your kid does not want to go to school because other kids do not share, and the teacher is not fair.
Middle school: Other kids are making fun of your kid for not having a phone or social media. She is missing out on social opportunities.
High School / College: Your kid is caught using AI to write an essay that was supposed to be done on his own. He might not pass the class, which means he would have to repeat it.
Each of these situations are great opportunities for meaningful conversations. To be clear, I don’ t mean with teachers and administrators. I mean
with our kids. Our first step isn’ t to intervene, but to talk with them. We step in only when it’ s absolutely necessary. These hard moments are great chances for our kids to grow up.
The elementary student needs to learn how to persevere through conflict around what to share, how collaborative time will work, and what is allowed at recess. If he doesn’ t then, how does he become a functional adolescent and adult? While recess stakes seem high to the elementary student, the real-world stakes that lie ahead are much higher. Successful navigation of future challenges requires kindergarten conflict as a training ground.
The middle schooler needs to learn that you as a parent are not trying to raise her to be like other kids. She is uniquely designed to be exactly who she is. Yes, she will likely miss out on some social opportunities to sit in a basement with other kids, all of them staring at their own screens in the same location. However, how
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