Homework
The Silver Lining
By LaTeisha Williams
When I began teaching my son to read, it was smooth sailing until he had to sound out words. He knew all the short vowel and consonant sounds, but when it came to blending them together to make a word, frustration would ensue; followed by tears. I tried to encourage him by telling him, “It’s hard now, but you’ll be so happy when you’re able to read on your own!” Still tears. He kept working at it—and one day it clicked. As I look at him now, able to pick up just about anything that interests him and read it with little to no difficulty, those beginning reading lessons three years ago seem almost a distant memory.
My son is still a bit too young to realize the lesson he learned, but it was a clear reminder to me. Difficult times can truly show us who we are and what we are made of. On the other side of my tough times, I have found a better listener, a better teacher, more humility, more strength, more experience, more willingness to help others, and more openness to change. I know that I am not alone in any of my struggles, and eventually I will come through. Unscathed or not, I will learn something that helps me, and perhaps, someone else.
Whether it’s a personal experience, or one that you are going through with your child, it is helpful to remember:
- Keep sight on your goal. It is hard sometimes just to see from hour to hour, let alone to the end. Try to think about your destination and what it will feel like to be there, rather than the bumps along the way.
- Be persistent. Many times it takes all the strength and patience you have to get over one obstacle. Take an optimistic approach—if you are able to get over one obstacle, who is to say you cannot tackle more!
- Relish the silver lining. Try to find good in situations and people. Not only will your mood improve, those around you may respond in kind.
- Shower with kindness. Reward yourself along the way as you get closer to your goal. Those incentives can go a long way to boost motivation and enthusiasm. Better yet—do something nice for someone else as well!
- Remember your journey. Keeping a reminder of the experience is probably not at the top of the list for most of us when we are going through hard times. However, a journal of some kind can really be helpful. It can serve as a means to vent any frustrations or feelings that you feel you cannot discuss with anyone else. It is a helpful tool for encouragement as you look back a week or month before and see what you were able to accomplish. It is a memento of triumph and completion once you have made it to your goal.
I am so grateful for the good and striving to be just as grateful for the difficult.