Chris commented and said how she shouldn't be so pushy with her little girl but it lead me to think about giving your children direction in life.
I really am a firm believer in really pushing your kids to succeed in whatever it is they enjoy. Its good for them to feel like they have a talent or are good at something and can be the very best they could ever be doing that particular thing. I also believe that your kids must be happy in whatever they do! Yes push them to be good and develop a passion but only of things that they enjoy and want to do.
There are plenty of times I'm sure kids would love to curl up infront of the TV instead of going out into the cold to play football or tennis or whatever skill they possess. But it is our responsibility as parents to push our kids when they might be being a little bit lazy.
The reason I say this is I am forever greatful to my parents for pushing me and making sure I persued my passion for horse riding.
I competed at a very high level of showing my ponies and won some very big competitions. The one thing I am proud of is that we were a team between me, my mum and my dad and so much hard work went into competing at that level. It wasn't just hard work it was a complete way of life! Our ponies were everything and every penny my parents had went on them. And every penny I had went on them to be fair :o)
I tell Chris about after school every day I would have to go out in all weathers to ride my ponies and nothing really stood in the way unless I was really ill! I remember my feet being that cold that when I started to warm them up it felt like they were being stabbed and it used to make me cry it hurt so bad! But I always knew that my hard work paid off and that was confirmed when I used to come home with red rosette's and trophies!
My parents started me riding ponies as a way of staying healthy as a physio had once told my parents that fitness would be the key to keeping me healthy and well. How true that statement is and was! Due to my parents commitment they kept me healthy with treatment but mainly fitness and not wrapping me in cotton wool! So what started out as a little hobby turned into an out and out passion that saw us travel all over the uk and ireland to compete. I met some amazing people, some who I am still in contact with now, and had the most amazing times around my horsey friends.
It was all made possible by my parents who pushed me to be the best cos they knew I was capable! When it came to when I was 15-16 years old I decided that it was the end of the road for me and my horse riding. It had begun to be a chore instead of a pleasure and it only took one conversation to say to them I didn't want to do it anymore and they accepted it and we stopped there and then. They knew I was ready to stop and they respected me enough to listen to my decision which is really good as when you have been doing something together since I was the age of 2.5 years old its a big change to just stop it. But we stopped and life went in a whole new direction! I changed 4 horses for 4 wheels and found a love of cars took over my life and lead me to the life I have now. So no regrets ever as I always look back on those times with happy smiles :o) I would love to have something to do with horses again and who knows Livvy or Jayden might have it in the blood like I did but one thing I do know is that whatever they like to do I will push them to be the best that they can be and achieve things that they can look back on and be proud of. And like my parents I want to have the right amount of push but with an understanding that if they don't want to do it anymore then its onwards and upwards to the next thing....
Xxxx
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