Scoot

All of my kids are active, but my youngest, my son, is incredibly so. Even by our standards, he’s a little dynamo. If he isn’t able to be active, he tends to get frustrated, so I’m often finding new ways to let him stretch his independence.

Today, his closest companion (his older sister) wasn’t in the mood to play, and he was distraught. So I was telling him what he could do to entertain himself – a valuable skill to develop, especially for someone with more energy than most of his peers. I suggested that he could “go explore,” and he lit up. “Really?!” Yes, really!

I told him the basic rules for safety, namely that he couldn’t cross “any roads with lines.” This ensured that he didn’t tackle any busy highways, which also kept him within a half-dozen blocks or so of home. I pointed out which things were within this area, including his favorite pizza place.

He suddenly leaped at the idea of going there. He earns his own money for chores, so I told him how much he should take if he wanted a slice and some fries. His sister’s ears perked up, and now she was excited about this idea as well. Soon they both had pocket money and their scooters, and my 7- and 8-year-olds were off into the afternoon.

An hour or so later, they returned triumphant – full of pizza, stories, and added confidence. All it takes is a little extra scoot out the door, and someone to encourage (and believe in) you.