Victorious

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Last week Kalli came home overjoyed with the news that her school had implemented a recycling program. (She considers herself a budding environmentalist.) She said, "Mom, I wish our school had a newspaper and I could write an article all about it." Clearly, she wanted to share her enthusiasm with someone other than just me.

As a parent, one of the best tools I've learned to utilize is the art of channeling - when you discover something your child is excited about and then utilize that excitement to create an experience for them that will further their love, learning, or both. (For example, an animal lover in our house developed a particular fascination with elephants. We found a zoo that fed a live video stream online of their elephant habitat and we checked in on our new friends frequently. We even learned their names and began to be able to identify each of them. Not to mention learned many new and fascinating facts about elephants and their habitats.)

Because Kalli's enthusiasm of this new recycling program was immense - and she dreamt up this idea of writing an article about it, I gave her my nod of approval and told her she should go for it - even if there wasn't a newspaper to write for. All of this in the name of channeling. We talked about what resources she would need and she decided to ask the principal about the program. (The mere thought of Mr. Faber, my elementary school principal, sent shivers down my spine but Kalli's always been a bit more daring than me.) The principal happily agreed to be interviewed - and here's the best part - suggested she e-mail her the finished article and perhaps they could publish it into the school's monthly bulletin sent out to parents. Kalli sacrificed playing that afternoon and took the evening to write and edit the article and then e-mailed the finished piece.

On Monday, she got to see her name in print on page four of the March bulletin. She was so proud and beyond excited. We all were! Thanks to her determination and enthusiasm, a receptive principal, and a little bit of channeling magic - she had an unforgettable learning experience. The simple moral of the story for me is this: When I listen a little closer to my kids (and their relevant OR irrelevant ramblings), when I let them find and direct their own passions, often times I get the lucky opportunity to urge them on a little farther and take part in an unforgettable childhood victory.