• Home
  • Start Here!
    • Subscribe
    • Topics
    • Top Tips!
  • About
    • Services
    • Contact Us!
    • Media
    • Disclaimer
  • Blog
    • Popular Posts
    • Recipe Index
  • Books
    • RD Book Coaching Services
  • Podcast
  • Privacy Policy
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • RSS Feed

Maryann Jacobsen

Independent Author & Family Nutrition Expert

  • Home
  • Start Here!
    • Subscribe
    • Topics
    • Top Tips!
  • About
    • Services
    • Contact Us!
    • Media
    • Disclaimer
  • Blog
    • Popular Posts
    • Recipe Index
  • Books
    • RD Book Coaching Services
  • Podcast
  • Privacy Policy

Why I Take Notes When My Kids Play

November 18, 2014

Tweet
Pin
Share38
Yum
Email
Share
38 Shares

My kids are bored, begging for TV or computer time.  After saying no, and pointing out their screen time is done for the day, they each go play.

Big A usually goes in her room and plays with her dolls or draws. She’s always had an artsy flare. Little D will usually stay in the living room playing some type of ball game of his own making. I’ll hear things like “that’s incredible,” “Going, going, gone,” or “touchdown.”

They think I’m not watching or noticing but nothing could be further from the truth.

What Children Show us If We Notice

Last summer, I read Mastery by Robert Greene. This book details how famous people in history (Benjamin Franklin, Charles Darwin to name a few) became masters in their profession. While they all chose different crafts, their processes to achieve success share similarities. It’s a fascinating read and one that got me thinking about my own kids.  Greene says that when people choose what he calls a “life task,” they should think back to what they were drawn to as children:

You possess a kind of inner force that seeks to guide you towards your life’s task — what you are meant to accomplish in the time that you have to live. In childhood, this force was clear to you. It directed you toward activities and subjects that fit your natural inclinations, that sparked a curiosity that was deep and primal. In the intervening years, the force tends to fade in and out as you listen more to parents and peers, to the daily anxieties that wear away at you.

I believe parents can give kids a huge running start by noticing what creates that spark in their children. While classes and lessons have a place, I believe this force is more likely found in children-led daily activities and interests.  So later, when my kids ask about what they should do, I will remind them of what they once did when no one was watching.

Doing it for the A or becoming a lifelong learner

I’m not a huge “you have to get good grades” parent.  If my daughter comes home with 100%, I make sure to acknowledge the work that went into it.  I also reinforce that understanding and learning are by far more important than any grade. The same way I don’t want my child to eat her veggies to get a reward, I don’t want my kids studying only to get an A.

Greene states that picking your life’s task is only the first step to mastery.  It takes a lot of hard work and learning to cultivate one’s potential.

…you must value learning above anything else. This will lead you to all the right choices. You will opt for the situation that will give you the most opportunities to learn, particularly with hands-on work. You will choose a place that has people and mentors who can inspire and teach you. A job with mediocre pay has the added benefit of training you to get by with less — a valuable life skill.

Health is Not Just About Nutrition and Exercise

I used to have a very closed-minded view of optimal health which included eating right and exercising.  Now I know personal happiness and satisfaction are important keys to longevity, and research backs me up on this. In fact, flow, doing enjoyable activities where the time passes quickly, plays an important role.  If my children grow into adults feeling unfulfilled they may be more likely to reach for something else — food, material goods, you name it — to fill the void.

So I notice what gets my kids excited, encourage them to work hard, and help them make the connection between learning and all the things they enjoy.

What do you notice when your kids play?

Related Posts

  • An Unconventional Way to Educate Kids About Nutrition (and Why it Works)

    It was Sunday morning and Big A pointed out that she was going to have…

  • three toddlers laying down with colorful fruits and vegetables holding some in their hands
    Why Excess Nutrition is a Concern for Today's Kids

    This is Part 2 in my Kids' Nutrition Series When parents consider their child's nutrition…

  • 5 Things You Probably Don’t Know About Me

    When I announced the changes to my website, I said I was going to stop…

Tweet
Pin
Share38
Yum
Email
Share
38 Shares

Categories: Real Life Stories 1 Comment

« Meat and Veggie Lasagna [Recipe]
Roasted Vegetables: Sweet Potato & Zucchini [Recipe] »

Comments

  1. Sarah says

    June 29, 2018 at 5:58 am

    Such a great thing to start thinking about with kids – and the concept of “flow” makes so much sense. Thanks for the insightful post!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hi, I’m Maryann…

Hi, I’m a registered dietitian who focuses on developmental stages. Here, you won’t get one-size-fits-all advice. Instead, you’ll get information based on your (and your family’s) age and stage. Make your choice between family and midlife-focused newsletters below and subscribe. Find out more!

Recent Posts

  • Yes, Every Midlife Women Should Take a Multivitamin (And Here’s Why)
  • 10 Signs Intermittent Fasting Doesn’t Live Up to the Hype
  • What do the Latest Vitamin D Studies Really Tell Us?
  • 3 Breathing Exercises That Will Change Your Life with Nick Heath [Podcast]
  • 6 Dietary Supplements Most Teenagers Need

Random Posts

  • Easy Homemade Macaroni & Cheese [Recipe]Easy Homemade Macaroni & Cheese [Recipe]
  • Making the Resolution to Meditate Every Day in 2013Making the Resolution to Meditate Every Day in 2013

Categories

Get the books!

The Alliance of Independent Authors - Author Member

Join the Newsletter

Sign up for Maryann’s E-mail Newsletter and get her ebook The Landmines of a Healthy Relationship with Food for FREE. Subscribe now!

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list. You're not done. Check your email to confirm your address. After you do that, you'll receive a link for the free e-book.

.

Copyright © 2023 — Maryann Jacobsen • All rights reserved • Powered by Femme Flora. Designed & Developed by BinaryTurf Privacy Policy

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.OK Privacy Policy
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT