Challenge by Choice

As our class started peeling off layers on the 40 degree heat wave, I noticed how engaged and excited he students were to challenge themselves. As the temperatures rise, so too does their apparent willingness to take risks in our outdoor classroom.

Maybe this courage is brought on by finally seeing the sun for more than a few minutes at a time.

Maybe they are figuring out their bodies and assessing the risks around them.

Maybe they are taking notice of the world around them and jumping into the thrills it offers.

Or maybe it is all of the above,

Regardless of the reason, watching children engage in this “challenge by choice” is only possible if adults step back and let the child step up.

Kids are amazing risk assessors. If we let them be.

Will there be bumps and bruises along the way? Sure. But if we shield them from everything and take away their ability to expose children to healthy amounts of risk, how much safer have we made them? In fact, overprotection isn’t protection at all.

Trying to take away risk might be the riskier than any potential outcome that original risk presented in the first place.