Stepstool

Our son Max is just 4 years old.  He is the not only the youngest, but the smallest member of our family.  I am not sure he realizes either of those things.  As far as he is concerned, he is able, and has the right, to do anything anybody else does.  He plays soccer with his big brother.  He does flips with his big sister.  He injects his ideas into conversations and is a part of the flow of our family.  At 4 years old and just over 3 feet tall, he has limitations.  He does a pretty amazing job navigating life even with these passing limitations.

For example, he doesn't fully understand how to operate the TV remote,  but he does know how to tell you exactly where to find his favorite episodes of "Dude Perfect" on YouTube through the AppleTV.

He also cannot reach the sink, or the orange juice on the top shelf of the fridge; but he has solutions for both….his stepstool.  This is not a traditional stepstool but a family heirloom; a wood and leather footrest that is the perfect companion for a 4-year-old who is learning to overcome barriers.

Without fanfare he runs and drags his stepstool to the sink, or the fridge, or the cupboard where there are Pop Tarts.  Max has learned that his ability to get to the things he wants isn't always up to everybody else.  There are things he can do to put himself in a place of success by just employing some simple tools.  Max has learned the value of his stepstool.

What stepstools are you introducing to your students?  What tools are you giving them to help them reach their goals?  More importantly, what opportunities are you giving them to discover their own solutions?  I could easily just grab the Pop Tarts for Max, but it's just too fun wathcing him solve that problem himself.  Plus, he is building his barrier busting muscle, and that will serve him well in the years to come.  Sometimes, unlocking the greatness in the students we serve simply means putting some resources in the room and then challenging them to greater success. Then, when they grab the stepstool and achieve their dreams, we can cheer them on.

Lead Strong!