Wednesday, 6 March 2013

Blogs for Happiness #1: With great power...


My successfully published author friend Barbara Gaskell-Denvil had the idea over lunch recently that I write a weekly blog about the goings-on in my life.

My first story is about a lesson I learned whilst teaching our little boy that “just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should”.

So he’s four-and he’s kicking the back of the driver’s seat because he can reach it now. Daddy asks him to stop via the above quote. So quick as a flash I chime in using my most ominous voice “with great power comes great responsibility”. We’ve been watching Spiderman.
The importance of that concept occurred to me as I glanced over to my husband. He’s a male, physically larger and stronger than me. He could beat me to a pulp-but he doesn’t. I have power in other ways-as do all women-but just because we can do things that could hurt others doesn’t give us the right to do so.

I feel children, especially boys, need to learn this lesson very early on, as a means to garner self-control, respect and thoughtfulness towards others, especially those considered ‘weaker’. (Animals included!) 


I have always taken the position that my son has never been too young to learn important life lessons and skills as they cross our path. I present him with information and encourage him to make choices about his behaviour. So far, we’re finding him to be a mostly well-behaved and thoughtful boy-and mischievous, funny and pushing the boundaries as far as he can at all times-as he should at his age!

Do you have an example of a lesson you learned whilst teaching something to someone else? Or a story about power and its use (or misuse) I’d love to hear it…

Follow this link to great books that explore this further: Steve Biddulph 




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