“Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, and the lesson later.”
(Vernon Sanders Law)

Today’s TBT is a Daily Pause from my wife, Jenny (and co-founder of ScreamFree). I believe it was written back when our daughter was in middle school:

My child has had a week to write an essay, and now she’s frantically throwing something together the night before it’s due. She is a creative and talented child, but as you might imagine, the paper she’s now writing is tripe.

The “parenting expert” part of me knows this experience is actually a good thing for her to learn. It is a life lesson we have all tasted in one form or another. The English teacher part of me is literally biting through pencils to hold my mouth shut. What is likely to come out wouldn?t be pretty.

So, I pause. And I think of the quote above about experience. What do I really want for Hannah?

• I want her to learn it is easier on the nerves (and the results are often far better) when you do things before the last minute.
• I want her to develop a sense of initiative and drive so she wants to take care of her own business—without having to be prodded.

Well, the only way those things can happen is if I give her loving guidance and direction…and then back away. That way she can learn these lessons for herself. (And that way I learn better how to keep biting on pencils so I can keep my mouth shut?

Peace begins with pause,