The mall offered us our first taste of independence. By age 11 or 12, I was spending my babysitting money at the mall. My friend and I would promise to meet my mom or hers at a designated spot by a specific time, and then we were off. Just her and me for an hour or two. It was a rite of passage, and we loved how grown-up it made us feel.
Many mistakes move us forward more than backward. Conscientious people often experience a springboard effect following mistakes, whereby fixing the mistakes accelerates growth faster than if they'd never made any missteps.
The turtle technique is often introduced to children to help them manage strong emotions, guiding them to pause, breathe, and step back before reacting. It sounds simple, yet it carries depth when practiced with intention.
What makes me even crazier is that I know they can listen. I know this because they do all the time, mostly when they aren't supposed to. I can't tell you how many times I've been having an adult conversation with my husband and/or friends and my two children-who haven't listened to a word I've said all day-suddenly have very thoughtful and detailed questions
