When was the last time your kids surprised you? Mine did, just last night, when they both went to right to sleep, instead of fretting anxiously over the first day of school (like I would have done!).
As parents, we naturally approach our kids with some preconceived notions about how they'll respond to certain situations, based on past experience. Sometimes they're innocent thoughts, like anticipating that your son will be placed in a high math group this year, or presuming that your daughter will have no problem adjusting to a new school, since she's never had any difficulty making friends in the past.
Other times, our thoughts -- and even the words that go along with them -- are more like labels. "He's organizationally-challenged," or "She's my drama queen." Sometimes those notions become a self-fulfilling prophesy, and our kids behave exactly as we expected them to.
But what if we left some room for our kids to surprise us? Imagine what might happen if we gave them the freedom to grow into different strengths and abilities this year? Who knows -- maybe they might uncover a passion they didn't know they possessed, or a gift they were born to share with the world. The possibilities are endless when we refuse to confine our kids with labels of any kind.
Try it. Consciously let go of the idea that last year's successes and challenges should offer a template for what you can expect your kids to experience this year. Instead, allow them the freedom to surprise you!
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