It takes courage to try something that is new for us. Even if we have seen others perform the task previously, the “Evidence that Appears as Reality” to us is so real that we may find ourselves convinced that we do not want to attempt or learn.
As a young person, what seems so simple to adults, like learning to ride a bike, swim, roller coaster, go to a circus (clowns) can present tough tasks for the younger ones. Even walking into a new classroom or tasting a new food for the first time may be incomprehensible for some.
The only way we will know how we really feel about an activity, food, or situation is if we try it. Everything we do at this moment was new for us at one time. Using our courage, facing our fears, looking at challenges with the attitude of being brave, will help us grow our our “comfort zone”.
As a parent our encouragement for this kind of bravery is part of the key to growing courage in our children. Not over protecting or reacting in catastrophic manner will help to keep a child calm also. In all of this, one of the biggest fears that some children and adults have about new activities is that someone will laugh at them. When working with our child – be very careful about sarcasm, jokes etc… when they are attempting new activities.
Can you ask your child to work on doing one new TOUGH task this week? Share with them your experience with that task or one that is similar. Then let them see how brave they are. When the task is complete, honor them by saying to them, “I celebrate your courage when you practiced on the monkey bars today. How was it for you?”