‘It is Not How Your Start–It Is How You Finish’–Advice to a 4 Year Old

Yesterday after work, I took my daughter to dance class. She is four years old and is still learning how to act in social situations. Sometime when things go wrong in her world, she breaks down crying and wants to give up. Take yesterday for example.

Almost half way through her class, she get's in trouble for not listening (definitely my daughter) and came out to see me crying her eyes out. She is going on and on how she lost her 'listen sucker' and that she didn't want to dance any more. It was like her whole world ended.

I calmly told her to look me in the eyes and take deep breaths to calm down, which she did. Then I told her to put her best smile on, and give it her best try, to get out there and dance her best, listen to her teachers, and maybe she would earn her sucker back. She kept crying and insisting she would not get the sucker, so I told her if she tried her best, even if she did't earn her suck back, that I would get her a treat.

That changed her whole attitude and she danced her booty off for the next 30 minutes. She listened to her teachers and did everything perfect. At the end of the class, she even got the 'listen sucker' and all was right in the world. She kept saying, you were right daddy...you were right...I just had to listen.

That was my 'Go Daddy' moment from this week! Thanks Russell Wilson!