I can’t. This is a phrase you will definitely not hear in my classroom or at least it is a phrase that we are working on changing. What started as a pet peeve for me has turned into the driving force to change the way people think. Long before my teaching days, it drove me crazy when I would hear people say “I can’t” or “I don’t have a choice.” My response to that is “Of course you can, you may not want to” or “You always have a choice.” In recent years, I realized that these statements run much deeper than face value. They stem from a certain mindset. I am not sure exactly when the word can’t was eliminated from my vocabulary, but I assure you it started with my parents always believing I could do whatever I wanted and allowing me to do so. Sure, there were definitely things they said I shouldn’t do, but is was never anything I couldn’t do.
I am a huge believer in the power of the mind and positive thinking. The mind of a child is open which in turn makes it incredibly powerful. If we can start by shifting a child’s thinking from “I can’t” to “How can I?,” imagine the power they will have in achieving their dreams.
I invite you to start asking your children how can you instead of enabling them when they say they can’t.
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