Help
Or Interference?
Written
by Debbie Werbrouck
As
adults, it is so easy for us to have all of the answers for
our children. We have the experience and have been through
it before. We can “take care” of things for them. That is
our job as parents and educators; right? No. Our job is to
help children develop in age-appropriate ways so that they
gain confidence in themselves through their accomplishments.
There
are many ways that we unintentionally undermine children’s
growth and self-sufficiency. It could be trying to intervene
with a teacher at school or fixing a disappointing situation.
When it comes to allowing children the opportunity to do a
task on their own, how many of us have said “It’s just easier
if I do it myself.” Of course it is; but it’s also depriving
the child of the experience that he or she needs to grow.
It
is our job as parents and educators to guide children and
help them to make their own good choices. It’s easier to let
children watch television and play video games but it is much
more helpful for them to participate in activities that will
provide growth opportunities. We all must experience life
to be able to cope with it. Those of us who never work for
an accomplishment on our own have more difficulties in dealing
with life.
There
is a story about a man who came upon a butterfly that was
in the process of working its way out of its cocoon. He watched
the butterfly struggle in its effort and saw that the process
was a slow one. He felt sorry for the butterfly and decided
to help. He very carefully cut away the cocoon so that the
butterfly could escape. When the butterfly fully emerged,
its wings were stunted and it couldn’t fly. The butterfly
needed the struggle of freeing itself from the cocoon in order
to develop its wings properly. By his interference, the man
actually hurt the butterfly that he was trying to help.
Humans
are no different. There is no short cut to development. Activities
that are engaging for both mind and body and present opportunities
for achievement provide the most benefits. A young child will
benefit from the physical and mental aspects of dance while
having fun and also learning important social interaction.
As that child grows, his or her confidence also increases
with the additional accomplishments achieved. Physical coordination,
flexibility, stamina and strength compliment the cognitive
benefits that are also applied to other areas of learning.
Increasing
personal abilities in dance, as well as working with others
to accomplish a goal, builds pride in achievement. As students
get older, challenges presented as part of the learning experience
also increase problem-solving abilities. Students who are
self-confident go through life with a major advantage; they
know that they will be able to handle situations as they arise.
As adults, we have the obligation not to interfere with a
child’s development, but to present and provide opportunities
that will help them become confident, capable adults. It is
well documented that dance education provides those opportunities.
Numerous studies have shown that students who study dance:
•
Learn more effectively in all other areas of the school curriculum,
including math, science, reading, and writing
•
Experience greater meaning, excitement, and depth in what
they learn
•
Score higher on both verbal and math SAT sections
•
Achieve higher levels of academic success in college
By
providing children with opportunities such as dance education,
parents are providing children with experiences that will
help them build a confident and successful future.
