Children learn from the opportunity to take risks.  I am talking about the risks that they decide on themselves pushing limits using their own intrinsic motivations and desires.  When children have opportunities to take risks they develop confidence and learn to judge their limitations.  These skills can be drawn upon in other aspects of their lives, such as when they face a difficult challenge in school or emotionally.  By learning to manage their capabilities and monitoring and regulating their emotions children grow up more balanced and open-minded.

Here Sylvia and Gabriel climbed high into a couple of trees.  Gabriel climbs higher now than he ever has, but he is careful to go only as high as he knows he can handle stopping turning, looking down, and making his way back down to the ground.  His confidence is high, but grounded.  He is calculated and secure.

Sylvia is more careful, but she too is confident in how far she can stretch her limitations and face her fears.

They are teaching me as well.  I have always been afraid of heights, and it has gotten worse as I age.  However, my children’s confidence and care has helped me to conquer some of my fear.  Here we are at the top of the  Emergent Tower at the Holden Arboretum.

Through their risk taking my children have given me the confidence to explore my world from a variety of vantage points.