Stop Disciplining Curiosity

“Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it fuels the Lion.” – Mark P. Fisher

Parents, or anyone reading this who is responsible for watching young ones, please stop disciplining curiosity. We know – it can be inconvenient to clean up that ketchup stain from off of the wall or to dry-out that entire glass of juice that was poured ALL OVER THE BRAND-NEW COUCH, but we must remember that it is completely natural for our children to be curious. They’re discovering everything for the first time. When they knock that plate of spaghetti onto the floor, it’s because their curious little minds just want to see what happens when a full plate is shoved off of their high-chair. We might see it as malice or defiance, but in reality our kids are just being kids and that should be okay. The truth is: curiosity is a sign that things are healthy and that your child is developing well. To stifle curiosity or to react harshly, especially with our young ones, can send a message that it’s wrong to learn and to discover new things. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but we are trying to raise children that are as strong and as brave as lions. None of us parent perfectly, but we can all be a little bit better today than we were yesterday. In light of this, here a few positive affirmations to remind yourself of the next time your little’s curiosity leads them to do something less than perfect:

1. I am a patient parent and I will smile through this inconvenience

2. I am capable of finding something fun that my little can do

3. I am so happy that my child wants to learn new things about the world

4. I am aware that this is only a season of life and it will soon pass

5. I am my child’s greatest advocate

6. I always want my child to feel fully alive around me