Getting Out of the Way For Growth

Obviously staged saxophone from Wix.com

Some days feel like an endless cycle of dishes and laundry. I did remember to put the wash in the dryer after I'd washed it a second time. It sat too long after the first wash.

I'm thankful for my magic stainless steel box that washes dishes for me. And the other magic boxes that wash and dry clothes.

School is looking a little different right now. The kids are home, and I have to check their work to make sure they're actually completing their assignments. Most of it is on the computer, so that makes it easy.

How do you teach band when you're not a band teacher? Kal's music book is at school, but we found some beginner saxophone music online to print. He's practicing that for now to stay somewhat in the music loop. I don't know much about music, but I can help him a little.

I love hearing him toot away on his instrument. It reminds me off all the clamor we, my brothers and sisters and I, put my parents through as we all learned a variety of instruments.

None of the instruments are quiet. Piano: loud. Trumpet: super loud. Violin: can go either way; beginner = screechingly loud. Guitar: that's actually not too harsh to listen to. Cello: of course loud. Flute: I guess there is one quiet instrument in the bunch.

And all this while my dad was learning banjo. Talk about loud and twangy. But our house was always full of music and love. Love goes right along with music. It just does.

One thing I love about Mom and Dad is they just let us try things--anything within reason, that is. We never had sky-diving lessons as kids.

They just didn't stand in our way of learning and exploring new hobbies or instruments or interests. They put up with beginner level messes and noise and mistakes to allow us space to become good at whatever it was we were doing.

Now, I'm happy to step right out of the way for Kal and Kara whenever they want to explore some new interest. The noise and mess is just part of their growing up.