Winding lessons

A3 decided that she wanted to knit something today.  She has not knit for a very long time so I told her that I would like a dishcloth with the new yarn I bought, but we needed to wind the yarn first. I grabbed the orange and gave her the yellow.  I started winding and told her how to wind a ball.  What I thought was just the beginning of a project, turned rapidly into a learning moment, for A3 and me. 

A3 has an issue with being "really good" (I'm trying to avoid the p word) at whatever she does.  That apple does not fall far from this tree.  When she looked at my ball, rapidly expanding, she had a little breakdown. "Mine doesn't look as good as yours, I'm not good at this," etc.   I remarked that I have wound many, many balls of yarn, maybe even thousands and all it takes is a little practice.  She was about to give up.  You know,"if I'm not good at it, I'm going to quit".  Well, I know. 

Normally, I would just wind the ball and get on with it, but this time I took a breath, gave her some encouragement, sat through the tears.  She didn't give up, but she was not happy.  After I let her try some more, I asked if she wanted some more pointers.  We sat in the chair together, A3 right in front of me, just like she learned to knit.  Sitting right there, she finished the ball, beautifully.

I handed her the needles and asked if she remembered how to cast on.  She said she didn't, but she tried anyway.  Sure enough, her hands remembered the long tail cast on like she had just done it yesterday.  She also remembered how to knit, and with her sitting between my legs she started her project, happily.

Her lesson, perseverance.

My lesson, you have to let them learn their own lessons.  Sometimes.

(As an aside,  I am winning my mental battle with The Closet.  One sleeve finished!)

Comments

[Susan Landor]

Ok. So this one brings on the tears. Recognition of self. On both sides of the equation.

[Ms. Ellaneous]

I'm realizing how many moments of connection, like this one, I let pass by in the hurried pace of our everyday lives. I guess that's another "lesson" I learned yesterday. Thanks for your comment Susan.