Let Them Make Mistakes
There are moments where you just can’t help but be a parent. When every instinct in your body screams “HELP THEM!” So you do. And it usually sounds like…
“Let me do it.”
“Try and copy me.”
“Can we do it this way instead?”
What if we told you that sometimes the best thing you can do is absolutely nothing? Kids already get graded, scored, ranked, corrected, and coached in everything they do. When adults step in, even with the best intentions, growth can be stunted. Instead, kids need the opportunity to get something wrong or figure out how to clean up their own mess.
At Catalina Island Camps, mistakes are just another chance to learn.
Here, getting something wrong isn’t a catastrophic event. The climbing wall takes three tries to climb, the sail doesn’t catch the wind
Something happens in the time between “I can’t” and “I got it.” They made a decision. They might have asked for help, tried the same thing with minor tweaks, or even taken a minute to reassess the situation. That moment right before success is crucial, and when an adult immediately steps in, that moment can be taken away.
They did it!
Eventually, they’re at the top of the climbing wall, the sail is full, and the arrow hits the bullseye. And the win feels different when it’s theirs. They’ll look to their friends and counselors and scream “did you see that?!” What seemed impossible just minutes ago is happening and they’ve got a certain look on their face. A look that CIC knows all too well and tells us that they figured it out—even if it means they got it wrong first.
But it requires a little bit of letting go on your part, too. They deserve the space to discover what they’re capable of without us discovering it for them. So let them make mistakes with us. The goal isn’t to get everything right, it’s to learn that getting it wrong isn’t the end of the story.