Experiments In: Needing Help

You probably already know that my husband and I try to find fun ways to teach our kids life lessons (Experiments In: Watching What You Say).  Another of these was the Stairs Experiment.  It's one of my favorites.  

You must have or find some stairs.  The only requirement is that the portion of staircase you use be higher than the tallest kid - he can't be able to reach the top by reaching from standing at the bottom.  After you find an adequately high staircase, about 4-5 steps or so, put your husband (brother, mom, dad, sister, friend) at the top.  Just standing there.  They are to not talk; say nothing, just stand there quietly.

We put Daddy at the top.  I gathered all of the children at the bottom of the staircase.  

I showed them a $10 bill.  I waved it around a little.  I'm like that.

Then I told them, "First one to reach the top of the stairs where Daddy is waiting without touching any part of the staircase, including the walls, railing, steps, etc., gets the ten dollars."

Now, you may think that the kids would just stop and say that this is impossible and then it's over.  I've done this experiment many times, and every single time the kids try to figure out how to get up there.  Particularly if you have older kids.  They even put their heads together to collaborate - something I tell them they are certainly welcome to do.  You'll see why. ;-)  They will jump, hop, try to fly (this is why it's important the landing at the top is taller than the tallest child).  

And inevitably... "We give up!  There's no way to reach the top.  It's impossible!"  

I turned to Daddy, waiting patiently and silently at the top of the stairs, and said, "Come down and pick up Ty."  My husband walked down the stairs, picked Ty up and piggybacked him up the stairs - without Ty touching any part of the staircase, including the walls, railing, and steps.  Then he went down and piggybacked every kid up the stairs.

I called them back down, gathered them together, and told them, "Sometimes in life, when you need to do something difficult, you will need help.  You will need someone else to carry you through it."

In our house, Daddy represented God, and we told our children to rely on Him.  To allow Him to carry them through the tough stuff, up those hills of life.  But we also reminded them that, along with allowing God to carry them, they would also need to rely on parents, siblings, grandparents, friends, teachers, mentors, doctors, nurses, etc., to carry them through.  

Allowing other people to help me, personally, has always been a unique challenge.  Type-A people don't like that very much (#understatement).  Giving my kids a visual, experiential view of this was important to me.  Even though I was on the "giving" end of this experiment, I still bring up the picture in my mind when I need to let go and allow God and others to help carry me through the valleys.  

Well, that and my kids, having learned this lesson well, always come carry me out.