My Tale of Two Pumpkins…
It’s nearly Halloween and today we have been carving pumpkins 🎃 Something happened that made me think about how a simple activity like this can be an opportunity to celebrate the uniqueness and individuality in our children.
I have two children. One spent ages meticulously scraping the inside of his pumpkin, ensuring the inside was perfectly smooth, admiring his handiwork and creating a pumpkin that reflected his love for precision, his focus, and his attention to detail.
My other child had just as much fun hacking her pumpkin to pieces, delighting in the freedom of making a mess. For her it was all about thrills and energy, and seeing her pumpkin transform in unexpected ways. Her pumpkin became more and more jagged and chaotic, and it’s a perfect representation of her imaginative, spontaneous nature.
As parents, it can be tempting to compare these two creations or to encourage one creative process over the other. But neither is better or worse—they’re just different. And those differences are what make our children the unique and wonderful people they are.
A child who enjoys making things carefully and precisely may have a future in design, engineering, or problem-solving. They likely take comfort in order and predictability, and a careful, methodical approach can be a wonderful skill. A child who loves hacking away at their pumpkin shows a wonderful capacity for energy, flexibility and imagination. They might thrive in creative fields or environments where thinking outside the box is key.
Embracing these differences as parents can mean stepping back and allowing our children to explore what excites them, even if it doesn’t look like what we had in mind. (Believe me neither of their pumpkins turned out how I imagined them…!) It’s about encouraging their strengths, respecting their boundaries, and understanding that they see the world differently. In doing so, we’re teaching them that it’s okay to be themselves and help to build self esteem.
Whether a pumpkin ends up as a smooth masterpiece or a chaotic creation, they’ve embraced the process in their own way—and that’s worth celebrating.
It’s these differences that make life richer and more colourful for everyone.
🎃🎃🎃
If you feel your child would benefit from a detailed assessment of their unique strengths and needs – with a Clinical Psychologist who values difference and uniqueness – then please drop me a message or explore my website for more details!
Drrosepsychology.com
Reading to Challenge and Inspire Parents and Educators
Children and families are far more unique, diverse and beautiful than any book can capture. But these are all books which have (in small or big ways!) challenged my assumptions, inspired me to dig deep into my own beliefs and values, and ultimately helped shape the way I work with children and their families. None of them are ‘parenting hacks’ or ‘quick fixes’.
Whether you’re a teacher, social worker, therapist, or in fact anyone who is, or knows, a parent or a child, there will be a book (or several) here that speaks to you!
