Flexible pacing is about being able to do things (create, work, reflect, play) at a time and rate that best suits a person’s needs and energy levels.
Why Does Flexible Pacing Matter?
It’s important for children (and adults) to be able to set and reach goals while they advance comfortably and develop new skills—such as reading, singing, dancing, or doing whatever they choose. Learning can happen anytime and anywhere, and steady headway is enticing. It’s like a secret sauce! It empowers progress, and it also invigorates family fun and well-being.
The Key to Flexible Pacing: A Respectful Give-And-Take
Many families find that when they relax pressure to achieve and ease or revisit schedules, there’s more time for laughter, storytelling, reading, innovative fort-building, puzzles, collaborative cooking, arts and crafts, gardening, games, picnics, and the pursuit of interests and learning experiences that may otherwise get side-lined. Flexible pacing is a particularly effective approach when children feel overwhelmed, or rushed, or distracted, or if they’re unsure about expectations or their own capabilities. Contentment can be motivating and enhance confidence.
Diverse Perspectives on Flexible Pacing
Here are three distinct perspectives on flexible pacing.
~ one ~
“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Poet Emerson wrote extensively about nature. In the above quote, he conveys that patience matters. This serves as a valuable lesson for parents. When you see your child working their way through a project, book, or game, ask yourself if haste really matters. Perseverance can enhance a learning process. How can you model patience?
~ two ~
“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.”
~ Henry David Thoreau
Author Thoreau emphasizes individualism. Remember, no two children are alike, and therefore, they’re destined to move in rhythm with their heart and soul and not with one another. Whether building a sandcastle, gobbling an ice cream cone, or creating and participating in a puppet show, everyone has their own “modus operandi” (particular manner of doing things).
~ three ~
“I embraced being a pop artist, but I like doing it on my own terms, at my ownpace.”
~ Christina Aguilera
Aguilera is a musician, and like other artists (writers, composers, performers, and so on), she appreciates tempo. Artistic expression occurs over time, with encouragement, effort, and ample opportunity to proceed in creative strides, swells, or spurts. Invite your child’s input about how to engage in an activity—so it’s meaningful for them. For example, when collecting objects on a nature walk, creating a silly costume, or painting a picture, the pacing can be their decision.
Last Words
“Great things are not done by impulse but by a series of small things brought together.”
~ Artist Vincent Van Gogh
Brush stroke by brush stroke, step by step, measure by measure—with a steady forward motion, adaptability, and responsiveness to contextual, social-emotional, and other factors around and within—this is the nature of flexible pacing. Paths chosen are important, but so, too, is the satisfaction experienced along the way, and this can be affected by pacing. Children who feel comfortable, connected, and encouraged are primed to succeed!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Joanne Foster, Ed.D. is a multiple award-winning author of several books. Her most recent is Ignite Your Ideas: Creativity for Kids. To find out about Dr. Foster’s publications, presentations, and newsletter, and for resources on supporting children’s learning and well-being, go to https://joannefoster.ca
Photo by Pixabay
