I was lucky to see an advanced screening of THE DAWN WALL on the big screen back 4 years ago and it is without a doubt, one of the most INSPIRING and EMPOWERING docos you will ever see. I'm a climber, so I was naturally drawn to this movie ... but the movie is less about climbing and more about developing your child's growth. Here is an exert: Tommy's mum: 'As a Kid, Tommy was slow at everything. He had a lot of difficulty in school, the teachers at one point actually told us he was mentally retarded and would never learn!" Tommy: "I was like developmentally delay and a very fragile little kid and incredible shy. Meanwhile my dad was like this symbol of a man. He was a bodybuilder and mountain climber. larger than life." Tommy's dad: "Tommy was small, he was way behind and he didn't crawl until he was over two." Tommy "I think my dad felt the best way to prepare this fragile little boy for the world was to toughen him up a little bit. So he took me on all these adventures." Tommy's dad: "Three years old, strap on the skis." Tommy; "Every summer we would go to Yosemite with my family and my dad would take me climbing on these giant walls, some of the craziest climbs you could do and he did it with a six year old." Tommy's friend: "The things Tommy's dad did with him, today you would have child protection services coming after you, he basically took hardship and re-phrased it as growth." Tommy: "My dad was loving, but he definitely let me suffer!' Tommy's dad: "The word that was in my mind was resilience! Seems to me one of the best gifts you can give your kid is an ability to deal with adversity." Watch it now on Netflix.
NEXT TIME Re-assessing your child's growth Next time you are in the studio watching your child get harnesses ready to take on the wall ... Remember it is not just about how high they climb. They are taking on their fears ... testing their strength ... tackling their anxieties ... developing their resilience and much much more .... So don't forget to praise them.
Comments