"None of the choices are good?" - You have probably seen this making the rounds on social media recently. Many parents are frustrated and confused because all three of the choices for their child's new school year are all equally bad:
1. All online learning: Will my child fall behind academically, emotionally and socially? My child learns best in a school with their peers and with teachers. They need the social interaction. They need to be physically active instead if in front of a scree all day. How can I do this when I work?
2. All in school, in person classes: Am I putting my child and my family's health in danger? Is it worth the risk especial at the beginning?
3. The "Hybrid", a mix of in person and online: Oh no. Is this actually the worse of both the first two options?
To many parents, it may seem like a helpless, no win situation.
Our dojo's number one mission has always been to serve and support our families and their children. All we do is learn and copy from child/personal development experts and bring this technology to you, the parents. Right now our immediate mission: Help and support you with the start of school.
There is no reason this year can't be your child's best school year ever. We just need to set them up for success. The key is to act early and take proactive steps to get them and you off to a strong start. If you did not read my first in this series of "back to school" articles from Monday about embracing change, you can see it again here: https://www.ohanakarate.com/post/virtual-learning-embracing-change . (*It is also the blog right before this one). In it I started off by writing about our first three steps:
1. Your State. (emotions and energy)
2. What you focus on. (Where you direct your energy and attention)
3. Your strategy. (The process and systems you use)
But before I share the next step with you, I thought it might be powerful to step back a little first and understand the "why".
Knowing the "why" of why you do something will significantly increase the likelihood it will work. You might be thinking - Why should we even bother? This year is already messed up anyway! I am overwhelmed by a situation and crisis I have absolutely no control over! I just wish everything could go back to they way they were!
The immediate "why" is pretty obvious - To make the most of a bad situation and savage the school year for my child. But I believe there is a much more powerful and valuable "why" under the surface.
Our lives are determined by just three things: Luck, Choices and Habits.
Luck - These are such things as your genetics, your parents, where you end up living while growing up and your natural talents.
Choices - The path you take and where you end up in life is just a series of choices. You can let others, like families and peers, make those choices for you or you can make them yourself. For instance a powerful choice is who you choose to hang around with.
Habits - Maybe the most powerful element that will determine your destiny in life are the habits you either intentionally or unintentionally develop along the way.
Of the three above you actually have complete control over two - IF YOU TAKE IT!
With this said, here is the most important "WHY" of why we need to work hard to get our children off to a strong start this school year. Since March 13th, this year has already had a profound and long lasting affect on us and our children. How we navigate this next challenge of re-starting school has the potential of forever forming how your child approaches and handles CHOICE and HABITS.
Like I discussed in my first article, they can learn a critical choice and habit in their lives - To RESIST . . . or to EMBRACE change. To take a victim mindset or an empowered mindset. To wait or take charge. To feel out of control or be in control. In the end this choice and behavior is really just a habit.
What may be even more impactful is their habits. This is an opportunity to set in place and practice the habits that will serve them well for the rest of their lives. Resourcefulness, Persistence, Perseverance, Independence, Patience, Work Ethic. Or, we can let the opposite habits form.
We don't really have a choice of what school will look like in a few weeks, but we do have a choice in how we approach it, the choices we make and the habits we and our children develop. If we wait to make a choice the choice will me made for us. Are you ready to made your own choice?
Stay tuned. We are going to take this one small step at a time. We are all in this together.
Stay strong. Embrace the change.
Sensei
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