I wondered to myself: natural talent versus environment
factors. My past came floating back with
every question she asked.
I sat on the patio, trimming the grass, while my 9 year old wrote questions for another
interview. She had decided to write a
newsletter about the local farmers market.
We started this discussion a few weeks ago as we walked back from our weekly
Saturday morning trip. We discussed ideas like newspaper reporters, brainstorming
ideas for the Sunday morning edition: who she would interview, what she would ask and what the final layout should look like. I almost recited the “who, what, where,
when and how”. I stopped myself: trying not to influence her too much.
I started remembering
my college classes. I was enrolled a variety of writing classes; forced to seek out subjects and people to interview. I lacked enthusiasm and ideas. Here present
day, I was a bit jealous of my daughter. I was struck by her eagerness to write.
What was the source of her enthusiasm? Every Saturday morning she finds me sitting at
the computer writing. I get up when the house is quiet and work on projects. Or
is it my recent rants “I can’t do it now, I have write before I forget!” Or maybe
was it her first grade teacher’s enthusiasm for writing. I had seen this enthusiasm during Authors Celebrations
twice during that school year. I had
been very impressed.
As
I silently sat lost in the past , my 3rd grader rattled off a list
of interview questions that would make any newspaper editor proud. She then proceeded to ask about others she
could interview to complete her newsletter.
I asked if this was a class project.
“Not really, I just want to do it”. She replied with a little gleam in
her eyes.
I
wonder about talents. I’m not sure I have a writing talent mind you; I question
it daily. If I did I would have finished certain projects long ago. However, musical talent runs through my family. I have played the piano and organ since I
was a child. All of my older children play an instrument; some play multiple
instruments. The youngest has yet shown signs of the music defect as I refer to
it.
Do
our children possess some magical hidden gene; a gene that makes their talent
so much better than our own, such that their strengths begin showing at an
earlier age? She began keeping a journal in 1st grade. This past
summer she was writing stories and now she has come up with this idea. Is this a magical gene surfacing or just an
environmental influence?
Certainly
children learn from everything in their environment. Often we referred to them
as sponges, soaking it all in. As
parents we can only hope they filter the good particles. As the parent of 5 children I certainly
learned you can’t be there to filter out everything. In this process of filtering are we focusing our
children on that talent which they truly possess? Are we doing the right thing?
My
junior journalist completed her second interview yesterday. I watched her interview from a safe distance,
not wanting to intrude or influence. The woman’s face lit up with a smile at
every question. She was intrigued by my young charmer.
Later
we sat in the Market Square eating apples, listening to the musician and
discussing her next interview. Who would
it be: a shopper, a volunteer? We were interrupted
by friends stopping by to say hello. The
children began a game of tag , running through the grass. Our lesson was over; it was
time to be a child again. Stopping the conversation with the grownups, I paused for a moment, watching my child. It relieved me to see her leave her project
behind and be a child again.
I
certainly want her to finish this project, yet I want her to be a child too. I
want her to be that child running carefree after her friends
on a bright Saturday morning. Of course I am biased, but I am proud of this
child. She’s being creative and brave. I
hope this defect rubs off on me.
Peace.
NEPB
No comments:
Post a Comment