Toughness

*This week's blog post was inspired by the below testimonial. It is my great honor and privilege to provide the space and environment where these kinds of transformations can occur.  Thank you to Danielle for sharing.

Have you noticed that it seems like our entire culture is hell-bent on toughening us up?  The "that which doesn't kill you will only make you stronger" mentality has infected every aspect of our lives.  Additionally, we are obsessed with pointing out flaws and negative characteristics.  We spend our lives judging (belittling) others - behavior, activities, appearance, skill levels, emotions, and beliefs.  
 
If we are totally honest with ourselves, we understand that none of the above judgments help anyone become a better version of themselves. However, our excuses sound like - "I survived all the crap, and I am fine."  "I am trying to toughen them up for the real world."   "No one is going to coddle them out there; they need build up some callouses to survive."  Or the ever-popular, "How are they going to improve if I don't point out what they are doing wrong?"  Come on! No one needs to hear what they suck at - they are already very aware of that very long list.

As a result, we have produced yet another generation of universally unhappy, damaged peeps who only know what is wrong with them.  And this is exactly why I meet kids who are anxious, depressed, unsure of what they are good at (or are interested in), disenfranchised, and plainly apathetic.   

What if, instead, we spent time observing the positives - and using those attributes to build up, affirm, and support?  Within all that, we can allow our kiddos to process and then detox from the trauma induced by a system designed to yield carbon copy, unimaginative, competitive robots.
 
I witness the transformations every day - when kids hear kindness - they open up.  When they receive grace and compassion - they can give it to themselves.  When they grasp that they - their ideas, interests, thoughts, plans, and aspirations - are consequential - they can focus on those. And when each of us is able to do all of that, the whole world of possibilities unfolds before our very eyes, and we discover our purpose.

DRC News

We are working on reorganizing the entire Canton Center for better functionality.  The music room is now downstairs, the art room has moved to the largest room in the house, and the seedlings space is in the cozy room upstairs at the back.   If your child is interested in checking us out,  please schedule a time to visit. Our facility provides an air of hominess and comfort that goes a long way in generating an environment that supports a connected community. 

Thanks again to Coakley's Hardware for donating these items for our much needed exterior painting project.

How cool is it that DRC has its  very own Little Library?  A shout of thanks to Maria Morrison for delivering it!  Stay-tuned as it gets a paint job and we decide where to place it.