I began this journey I am now on because I wanted to understand why I was not decisive enough in developing my own kid’s fundamental movement skills.
I’ve spent my professional life helping others do just that. But why was I stalling when it came to my own kids?
What story was I telling myself?
Was I waiting for someone else to do it for me? Was I too busy?
The term “immigrants to wealth” coined by James Grubman, describes first-generation wealth. Immigrants to wealth seemingly face a unique problem. The assumptions and constraints that brought them to wealth, through learned experience, are now not nearly as valid, as they once were.
And the kids of immigrants to wealth have no way of learning the same lessons about money as their parents once did growing up.
Wait a minute.
My kids have no way of learning the same lessons about sport and activities as I did growing up. How can they? Times have changed.
What else do we have in common?
Creating boundaries for your kids when money is in abundance is tricky. Saying no to your kid when you are surrounded by luxury doesn’t land so well.
My kids didn’t come preset with boundaries, and I had not yet set any up. Distractions were in abundance.
I’m sure you are already at the punchline. But here it is anyway.
The constraints and assumptions that I carry with me may no longer hold true. But the rules of the game, have not changed. It is on me to find ways to pass on the values that I have on being healthy, active, and curious to my kids.
Rich. Poor. Active. Inactive. It doesn’t matter.
Developing the skills required to hold up our values and be able to articulate them in a meaningful way to our kids is the work of being a parent.
The value of stalling is unlikely to be one of them.