April 3, 2006 10:48 pm
Put Me in Coach
I’m always looking for new insight and new perspectives that can help me become a better parent. About a week ago, I picked up a book and rediscovered some energy and enthusiasm that’s been eluding me.
I find the most helpful sources of motivation come from people presenting ideas that differ from my own in incremental ways. I use my own perspective and experience as a base, adding new ideas and approaches over time.
The people that provide the most valuable influence on me are those that have qualities of a coach. The techniques used by a coach are different than those we typically associate with similar roles of a teacher, parent, or boss, although a true coach might be found in any of those roles. A coach guides us by drawing strength from inside ourselves and using it to build change one step at a time. A coach lets his enthusiasm seep out and impact those around him (or her!). A coach leads and points the way, but it’s up to us to follow and make the journey on our own. A coach teaches us but the impact remains after the coach is gone.
I’ve listened to quite a few professionals who speak to parents of autistic children. A few have left me significantly more energized and enthusiastic about continuing my quest to become a better parent and help nurture my own children. The first I encountered was Dr. Steve Guttstein. A two day seminar with Dr. Guttstein gave me some fresh insights and charged me up for connecting with my kids in some new ways. I left a one day seminar with Dr. Tony Atwood and Carol Gray with renewed strength in my role as a parent. I’m finding a similar sense of energy from Ross Greene’s book “The Explosive Child”. I feel like a baseball player getting tips from a batting coach. I’ve got a good swing already, but a change here, and a tweak there, and maybe I’ll improve my batting average.
Well, beat the drum and hold the phone – the sun came out today!
We’re born again, there’s new grass on the field. . .
Oh, put me in, Coach – I’m ready to play today
- John Fogerty – Centerfield – 1985
(As I wrote this I remembered it was Opening Day. And in case you’re wondering, the Red Sox won!)
We do our best to coach Charlie–without our superstar, there’d be no team!
April 4th, 2006 at 3:56 pm
That’s a great analogy! A good coach knows how to bring out the best in his players, doesn’t do it for them, coaches, but never plays for his team. I really like this!
April 4th, 2006 at 9:37 pm
Yay on the Red Sox win!
And yay on the rest of this blog entry! This is a great way of thinking about it all. Thanks!
April 5th, 2006 at 9:10 am
[...] I posted a few weeks ago about how Ross Greene’s book “The Explosive Child†provided me with some renewed energy in working with one of my sons. I finished the book a while ago, incorporated new strategies and have, in some ways, already moved beyond them. [...]
May 19th, 2006 at 11:52 pm