There have been times in my life when I have bemoaned the fact that there is not an "instruction book" on things. Though I am not (by nature) much of a rule follower, I love a good set of directions when I feel adrift. In parenting, I feel adrift more than I care to admit. So, as the Grahams are now in full summertime mode - we are around each other a lot. It is so great that we have the opportunity to spend so much time together in these months, and I am grateful for it (hence the Camp Graham approach.) But, it also brings the idiosyncrasies of our individual personalities to the surface, for better and for worse, and without an instruction book - conflicts arise.
With this in mind, I have been giving lots of thought recently to the fact that my older son is quite introverted. Now don't get me wrong, he is quite social, and hilarious - but he most likes to work things out in his head, and needs personal time to do it. It is sometimes a challenge for me, as I am exactly the opposite. I am impatient, and extremely extroverted. I do things off the cuff, and with speed. Also, I like to try things out, and reflect on them as I go (hence this blog). So, I have been reading up on how I can be a better parent to him when I came across this graphic (above). I have been trying to follow it - and it is stunning how much it has helped me progress and grow. Number 9 has changed my approach significantly. I had just never thought about how important it is to teach him new things in private - like diving into the pool - a skill he is trying to master currently. I realize that when his friends are around him, he gets much more nervous and irritable about it. So, I have changed my thinking on it, and we are getting along so much better.
Sometimes, instructions are just what I need.
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