After I had my daughter request her own letters of recommendation for summer camp, I had her call the summer camp and check that the application is now complete. She was anxious and nervous, and she had to do it when I wasn't home to stand behind her. She was nervous. She was anxious about talking to a stranger on the phone. I reassured her that the person she'd be talking to likes gifted middle schoolers so much this woman dedicates several weeks each summer to them.
She did it. She called.
And she discovered there's a form missing.
So now she's got a very simple, easy problem to fix, with no immediate deadline pressure.
These are important skills. I just hope that with enough reinforcement over the next several years that the skills stick. For now, I'm informing her that the phone call needs to be made, when, and how. Once I see that she starts to anticipate these parts of the process, I hope I can pull the helicopter away.
She did it. She called.
And she discovered there's a form missing.
So now she's got a very simple, easy problem to fix, with no immediate deadline pressure.
These are important skills. I just hope that with enough reinforcement over the next several years that the skills stick. For now, I'm informing her that the phone call needs to be made, when, and how. Once I see that she starts to anticipate these parts of the process, I hope I can pull the helicopter away.