Being human, I've made my share of mistakes as a parent. But today I had a flash of pride after realizing that I'd largely avoided most of the variations of the "...something to fall back on..." conversation while raising my daughter. How many of you heard some version of this well meaning if ill advised phrase growing up? Something like "Get a college degree so you'll have something to fall back on."
Although I've toggled most of my own life between practicality and dreaming, I wanted my parenting style to err on the side of my daughter's dreams. I worked purposefully to make my language expansive vs. limiting. For example, from the start, I thought and spoke of college as a means she could use to enhance skills in her chosen field vs. a degree she could use for something else when she "fell back". For me, the stench of inevitability always seemed attached to those words, even when disguised as guidance.
I propose we eliminate these unsubtle words of discouragement when speaking to others. How about "fall forward" instead?
About Me
- Pat Barton
- My most recent single release - "My True North" - is now available on Bandcamp. Open my profile and click on "audio clip".
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