I'm taking a break from life, dear reader. In the next few days, I will re-post some of my favorite blogs from the last four years. It's a bit of a rewind, and I enjoy seeing how far we have come, how The Bean has grown, and how my ideas have developed over time. I hope you enjoy it.
While walking the woods and fields with my ten-year-old daughter, she caught me off guard and completely grossed me out by doing a farmer blow. For those of you who are civilized and uneducated in practices of mucus control without the necessary tools such as tissues, handkerchiefs, or the trusty sleeve in a pinch, a farmer blow is when you close one nostril with your finger and commence blowing mucus with much force and projection from your unclosed nostril.
After a loud and exasperated "WHAT THE HELL!" from me, she laughed hysterically and said, "Daddy said you would yell about that!" I proclaimed her behavior disgusting and offered the many other options she could have chosen other than the farmer blow. Still tittering away like a crazed chipmunk, she explains how having "variousness" in your skill set is essential. She informed me it wasn't gross (although that is a definite perk for her). She was merely problem-solving.
We always discuss problem-solving with Jordan and try to make her understand that there are always options. In my opinion, you are never stuck. The options might not always be the easiest or most pleasant, but there are always options. Step back and look at the possibilities before you, decide your desired outcome, and choose your option. It can be difficult, but you aren't stuck until you decide you are stuck.
We also frequently discuss skill sets and the importance of having a varied skill set. I feel that a varied skill set makes for a strong, confident, problem-solving individual. For example, Jordan can sort her laundry, run the washer and dryer, load and unload the dishwasher, follow a recipe, milk a goat, help a pig deliver piglets, butcher a chicken, safely handle a butchered chicken, read Edgar Allen Poe, write a thank you note, complete her homework without being told, make change, do math in her head, safely handle a firearm, clean and maintain a firearm, discuss politics in a non-offensive manner, form an opinion, respectfully share that opinion, place her napkin on her lap during a meal, and use the correct flatware. It is a varied skill set for a ten-year-old, in my opinion. (Truth be told, the kid is a rock star! However, I understand I am completely biased)
She got me; what can I say?
By my definition, she viewed her options, decided on her desired outcome, chose her option, and acted upon that. By her definition, it was a success. Her nose stopped running, she could breathe, and bonus point: she cleared her boots! It's not necessarily an option I would choose or have her pick. However, that is what life is all about, right? That's the glory of it all. Learning to sit back, watch them make their choices, and celebrate their wins. I also want to hand them a paper towel when they don't clear their boots.
Stay safe, be smart, make good choices, always clear your boots, and keep washing your hands.
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