What is Bossy?
My kids have been obsessed with audiobooks over the last couple months. Normally, they listen to it a lot in general. Something changed where by the time they wake up, they want to listen to audiobooks. We get in the car and instead of music, they want audiobooks. Before going to bed, they also want audiobooks. It’s insane.
It’s gotten to a point where my wife’s phone is constantly running out of batteries because the audiobooks need to be played on her phone instead of on the Yoto boxes they have since the cards don’t exist on that platform. There is a particular series called The Mermaids of Eldoris that they have been listening to recently. I’ve heard that series many times, but they still aren’t tired of it
The other day, my 6 year old daughter E was listening to it in the car ride to ballet with me. She paused and asked me what the word bossy meant because one of the mermaids was saying it. I explained that being a leader is a fine line to walk - you can lead the right way or you can keep telling people what to do in the wrong way and cross the line. When that line is crossed, that’s what bossy is. Nobody likes being told too often what to do, how to do it, and everything in between. Also, there is a certain way to say things and we need to be thoughtful of how to say it. Instead of saying do X, we could say that we would help someone start X and be part of the solution.
E processed this and understood quickly. She even came up with other ideas about how she could make sure she wasn’t bossy at school or with her friends. Even though she loves directing things and being a leader, I want her to do it in the right way and help her understand the framework for the right kind of leadership. These are the soft skills I wish I had been taught early on and it’s my way of trying to build that foundation early with my kids. Soft skills will set them apart in the future hopefully and help them navigate this crazy world we live in. We just need the practice reps to get it right and balance things by walking the line!
