Last Sunday I was getting ready to head out to my local supermarket for a quick essentials shop (nappies and prosecco). 16 months old @Derrys_Diary insisted on taking along a TV remote control. I said no. Because you simply don’t take TV remotes out. It’s something people don’t do.
Then I thought to myself: People generally don’t take remote controls out for a walk. But people often lie, are unkind, don’t care about people, spread gossip and judge others. That’s what people do do.
So why should I force “the rules of this world” onto my little one? Why should I teach him that status quos are not to be challenged? Why should I tell him what’s normal and what’s strange? Yes, taking a remote control out to shops is definitely outside the box, but isn’t an “out of the box” way of thinking associated with society’s high achievers, big minds and influencers?
So, why would I force my child to stay in the box? Yes, I do have responsibility to teach him right and wrong in the moral context, but otherwise – screw the box!
We wandered through the isles of Tesco Extra, him clenching his Sky TV remote, happy as Larry because as far as he knew the remote control gave him the power to have a say in the future world and make his own choices.
