Wild Child: It's okay to be uncomfortable
Would you play outside in the rain without rain gear? Would you sit on damp ground and get a little wet?
It’s okay to get a little uncomfortable sometimes. Somehow, when we are knee deep in mud chasing a frog this seem intuitive. What’s a little sticky and goopy mud compared to the thrill of potentially catching that hopping creature?! We live in the moment! We ignore the discomfort in favour of our goals! We build our confidence to handle unexpected and tricky problems.
Being okay with being uncomfortable is a skill, and important one for building resiliency. Think about finishing a meeting just before lunch when you are hungry, or waiting line at a restaurant. As adults we know some discomfort is okay. We can let children build these skills too.
Last week I was reminded of the day last summer when my children were playing outside as it started to rain. I was in a meeting and thought they would come in (at least to get raincoats) once they started to get wet. I finished up and checked on them and found that instead they had built a shelter out of some scrap wood. They were joyfully playing in the rain without any rain gear, running to the shelter when they wanted a break. This day, and the following days, they stayed out in the pouring rain playing happily until bedtime and coming in completely soaked. As I tucked them in at night, they chattered about their shelter and the puddles and the fun. Happy, tired children!
This experience is a great example of discomfort building resiliency. It was uncomfortable, but it was worth it! When it got too uncomfortable, they were able to to find a solution (shelter) and solve their problem. They have built confidence to have fun even if they are uncomfortable. They build confidence to try their own solutions when something gets hard. Best of all they learned these things while having fun and playing.
This week when you are outside can you notice all the ways your child embraces being uncomfortable? Children are amazing at seeking out opportunities to build resilience.
Written by Tandy Morton, Wild Child Outdoor Playgroup Facilitator