These days, I seldom make it to a store to try on clothing. I mean, if I brought my almost three-year-old shopping with me, I’d probably end up running out of the dressing room naked to try to catch the little escape artist. So, that means, if I need a new shirt, I shop online.
The last time I purchased a shirt, it was from a brand that sold one size fits all items. That’s really funny to me because, everyone knows that’s not possible, unless you’re a character in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants".
However, I really wanted this shirt so I went for it. A few weeks later, when it showed up at my doorstep, I was happy that the shirt did fit me. Still, it was a little tight for my liking and emphasized my muffin top a wee bit too much.
The idea of ‘one size fits all’ is silly. There isn’t one shirt out there that will fit everyone in the world, at least not how we want it to fit.
This got me to thinking about how sometimes I try to fit my kids into a one size fits all category. In fact, I’ve caught myself saying, ‘Why doesn’t my son like the zip line swing at the gym…..my daughter loved it.”
And then I stop myself because what I’m saying…...it’s ridiculous.
After all, there isn’t a “one size fits all” manual for each child.
We can’t always use the same discipline method for each child. What works for one may not work for another.
We can’t make our kids fit into a specified learning style. One may be a tactile learner while another may be a visual one.
And, we can’t stuff them into football jerseys and assume they will become football players.
Most importantly, we can’t assign a checklist to our children, a list of personality characteristics and achievements, that they should possess or meet.
If we did these things, we would strip them of the characteristics that makes them unique.
When I catch myself questioning why my kids do this or that, I will remind myself of a poster I saw that said “No Two Flowers Bloom in Exactly The Same Way” because children grow, develop, and love in all different ways. Indeed, nature can be cruel but it also teaches us plenty of life lessons.
In order to help children bloom, we must be willing to adjust our discipline methods and the way we teach.
We need to support their choices (even though sometimes we have to say no).
But most of all we can love and encourage them, because, like the sunshine and water that flowers need to grow, these methods will help our children develop and thrive, in their own way.
As for now, I’m think I’m done with shopping for clothing that only has one size….it’s just not natural.
The last time I purchased a shirt, it was from a brand that sold one size fits all items. That’s really funny to me because, everyone knows that’s not possible, unless you’re a character in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants".
However, I really wanted this shirt so I went for it. A few weeks later, when it showed up at my doorstep, I was happy that the shirt did fit me. Still, it was a little tight for my liking and emphasized my muffin top a wee bit too much.
The idea of ‘one size fits all’ is silly. There isn’t one shirt out there that will fit everyone in the world, at least not how we want it to fit.
This got me to thinking about how sometimes I try to fit my kids into a one size fits all category. In fact, I’ve caught myself saying, ‘Why doesn’t my son like the zip line swing at the gym…..my daughter loved it.”
And then I stop myself because what I’m saying…...it’s ridiculous.
After all, there isn’t a “one size fits all” manual for each child.
We can’t always use the same discipline method for each child. What works for one may not work for another.
We can’t make our kids fit into a specified learning style. One may be a tactile learner while another may be a visual one.
And, we can’t stuff them into football jerseys and assume they will become football players.
Most importantly, we can’t assign a checklist to our children, a list of personality characteristics and achievements, that they should possess or meet.
If we did these things, we would strip them of the characteristics that makes them unique.
When I catch myself questioning why my kids do this or that, I will remind myself of a poster I saw that said “No Two Flowers Bloom in Exactly The Same Way” because children grow, develop, and love in all different ways. Indeed, nature can be cruel but it also teaches us plenty of life lessons.
In order to help children bloom, we must be willing to adjust our discipline methods and the way we teach.
We need to support their choices (even though sometimes we have to say no).
But most of all we can love and encourage them, because, like the sunshine and water that flowers need to grow, these methods will help our children develop and thrive, in their own way.
As for now, I’m think I’m done with shopping for clothing that only has one size….it’s just not natural.
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