Your kids are capable of more than you give them credit for.
It’s us parents who limit our children. We are the ones who tell them they aren’t big enough, strong enough, or capable enough to do hard things. Think about it – have you ever met a child who thought he or she could not do something? No? Me neither.
My own sons pedaled bicycles 17,285 miles from Alaska to Argentina. They were ten years old when they started the journey. They never once doubted their ability.
Mary Chambers was ten when she hiked 2650 miles from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Jordan Romero climbed Mt. Everest when he was 13.
Tatiana Kimberley crossed the English Channel in a kayak at age 12.
Laura Dekker completed her circumnavigation of the globe in a sailboat when she was 16.
Eight-year-old Christian Thomas, known as Buddy Backpacker, has already hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Colorado Trail.
In today’s society, we tend to look upon these children as though they are extraordinary – that somehow they have more strength, more determination, more gumption than “normal” kids. I disagree with that. I think they are simply normal kids who were allowed to dream big and make their dreams happen.
It was only 150 years ago when these kinds of things were expected of children. Thousands of kids walked across the USA on the Oregon Trail. They dealt with far worse conditions than most of today’s young adventurers, yet nobody hailed them as extraordinary. It just was. A fact of life. Kids rose to the challenge and did what needed to be done.
As a species, we have not evolved to the point where children are no longer capable of extraordinary feats. Instead, we parents have taken it upon ourselves to prevent them from doing them. We parents are the ones who look at our children and say, “You can’t.”
I challenge you today. Say, “You can.” Tell your child she’s capable. Encourage him to dream big.
Just say yes.
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