This post is part 6 of the #YourTurnChallenge based on Seth Godin’s book What to Do When It’s Your Turn
Previous Posts: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
I don’t surprise easily. I am not trying to sound stuck up, but I don’t know how else to say it.
Very little surprises me, good or bad.
Maybe it is just my personality, or the cynical nature of being on the edge of Gen X.
In fact, the last time that I was really surprised was when the zombie dogs in the original Resident Evil game came bursting through the mansion windows. Back in 1997.
Whatever the source, I managed to be surprised by myself earlier this week, and it was not in a good way. I caught myself embracing a mindset that was shocking and even a bit hypocritical.
My wife and I took my son (who is almost 4 years old) to the nearby Toy’s R Us to use a gift card that he was given. We told him that he could choose the toy that he wanted.
Obviously, this was a very important and very difficult decision to make. We went back and forth a few times, choosing one toy over another. Eventually he found a Vtech train set that my wife also liked.
Switching over to my “Father-knows-best” role, I pointed out that my son already has plenty of trains, and that this particular train is designed with very young children in mind.
“Why would my son want a baby’s toy?” I thought to myself (and said to my wife).
I eventually said “ok, if that’s what he really wants.”
Self-Awareness Now Loading…Please Wait
It was only later in the day after we got home and set up the train that my self-awareness finally kicked in.
The man who collects old video games was questioning his son’s choice of a completely age appropriate toy.
Where did that come from?
When (and how) did I become “that guy?” You know, the one who criticizes children for doing…childish things?
It was a great wake up call to me, not just as a parent, but in all areas of my life.
Don’t make excuses, be the person that you want to be and that others need you to be.
