have your first child. She adds that for your first kid, you don’t have anything to compare it to, so it’s easy to worry about every single little thing that happens to them, every little scrape and scratch. But you learn that you don’t have time to sweat all the little things, and that it just doesn’t matter that much. On top of letting your kids fail, Hamlin also believes that as parents, we sometimes instill our own expectations in our kids, especially when they’re really good at something. You get invested in what they’re doing and start to picture a certain path for them. But kids change their minds, discover new interests, and sometimes decide they don’t want to do that thing anymore, and that’s OK. As par- ents, we have to be willing to let go of what we think they should be doing and support them as they find their own way. “It’s so hard because you feel like, oh my gosh, you’re so good at it. I just want this for you because I can see how good you are at this thing, how talented you are,” Hamlin emphasizes. “But you have to just say, okay, that’s not what you want to do anymore. Now you’re going to go this direction, and you just have to support them in whatever direction they decide to go.” That philosophy of allowing kids to discover who they are extends into Hamlin’s work at DA, where she has spent the past decade helping families navigate individualized learning, since DA provides a unique learn- ing profile for each child. That way parents can feel their kids are seen and supported, and worry less about the little stuff. Hamlin says one of her favorite parts about raising a family in Colorado is the opportuni- ty to spend time outdoors together. “Growing up in Texas, we didn’t have access to this kind of outdoor wonderland,” she says. “I’ve been skiing with my kids since they were about six. It’s something we’ve gotten to experience together, and that’s really special.”
RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS
Favorite date night …to go see live music. Words that best describe your family …musical, fun, sarcastic, happy. Favorite genre of movie or TV show …rom-coms. Favorite food …Mexican food.
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