Sunday, April 22, 2012

No More Track Snacks

As some of you may know, my daughter joined the junior high track team again this year.  And I volunteered to be Track Snack Mom.

Then after one week, my daughter told me she wanted to quit.  I wrote a blog post called Should We Let Our Children Quit.

At the time, I told her to stick with it.  She had made a commitment, I thought she'd like it better once they were having meets, and because I had committed to coordinating snacks.


Then, last week, my daughter told me she really wanted to quit the team.

This time, I asked her why.
And I really listened.


She said to me, "After a long day at school, I just want to go home."



Juliana is an introvert.  
I am not.


She NEEDS quiet time at home to rejuvenate before she can do anything else with people.

I didn't get that.

Luckily, she did.



The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, originated by Howard Garner, includes 8 types of intelligence.

1. Spatial
2. Linguistic
3. Logical - mathematical
4. Bodily -kinesthetic
5. Musical
6. Naturalistic
7. Interpersonal
8. Intrapersonal


My intelligence is Interpersonal.

Interpersonal - understanding, interacting with others. These students learn through interaction. They have many friends, empathy for others, street smarts.




Juliana's intelligence is Intrapersonal.

Intrapersonal - understanding one's own interests, goals. These learners tend to shy away from others. They're in tune with their inner feelings; they have wisdom, intuition and motivation, as well as a strong will, confidence and opinions.




I've never really understood the significance of Intrapersonal, until I had a daughter with this intelligence.


Juliana knows herself.

She has so much more self-knowledge and wisdom than I had at 14 years old.

I need to trust that when she says she needs quiet time after school, she really means it.


So, Juliana is no longer on the track team and I'm no longer the Track Snack Mom.

And that's just fine.  Better than fine.

It's the right thing to do.



When we really listen, we can learn a lot from our children.

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