Shoe Laces

How many times have you tied your shoes?


It’s a little thing, I know, but something we do over and over again.


The other day, my sister Gayle told me this story about tying shoes and agreed to let me share it with you.


We were hiking with our dad, a common occurrence as you know by now.


The rangers had told us we were too young to climb the mountain we were on and that we couldn’t possibly make it to the top and back in a day.


Another common occurrence.


You see, we were not climbing Mt. Whitney that day, the adventure I told you about last week. This time we were hiking in Kings Canyon National Park.


The official website describes the area like this, “Huge mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, vast caverns, and the world’s largest trees exemplify the diversity of landscapes, life, and beauty here.”


Gayle was 13 and remembers that her shoes kept coming untied. So Dad stopped right there on the trail and patiently taught her a better way to tie her shoes, one which she still uses today, more than 60 years later.


In fact, every time she has tied her shoes since, she has remembered that hike, Dad’s kindness, and that gentle teaching moment. It was a little thing, but little moments, for better or for worse, stick in our children’s hearts and minds.


The great Virginia Satir, honored as the “Mother of Family Therapy,” once said, “Every word, facial expression, gesture, or action on the part of a parent gives the child some message about self-worth. It is sad that so many parents don’t realize what messages they are sending.”


The little moments stick.


When we’re tired or hungry or grumpy, it’s easy to let an angry look or a harsh word slip out. With a bit of extra effort, we can instead create little positive, joyful moments to be recalled with love for years to come.


Here’s to more resilient wins at home and school,

Anne


PS Want to help your kids have less stress and more success at home and school? CLICK HERE to get a copy of our book, The Resiliency Toolkit: A Busy Parent’s Guide to Raising Happy, Confident, Successful Children.