This Wonderful Short Will Teach Us The Importance Of Letting Children Have Initiative
“A cloudy lesson” is a wonderful short that teaches us something very valuable: there is no single way of doing things, amazing things can arise from mistakes and Children can also achieve amazing results if we give them the initiative, if we let them “be” and trust in their abilities.
We propose something very easy, playful as well as instructive: discover this short with your children. No matter how old they are, the visual message, its contained magic and its captivating narrative will instantly engage your child so that he can instantly identify with his little protagonist.
This is a story of values that goes far beyond that perspective where the child yearns to try and experiment. It also hides a series of messages that we, as mothers, fathers or educators, must understand.
In “You are Mom” we invite you to discover them below.
The importance of trusting children and giving them initiative
María Montessori used to say that our obligation is to offer the little ones a “ray of light” and then continue on our way. We are architects, allies, magicians and guides of their education, but we must never be those agents always present, directives, severe and obsessive who take care of every movement of the child until we cut off their spontaneity to the point of putting doubts and fears in their initiative.
Children must know that we trust them, that they are loved and valued to the point of having the strength to do things, to dare. Because there is nothing like a facilitating environment for the child’s mind to wake up, feeling free and capable of creating clouds in the shape of stars, like our protagonist …
The history
Words are not necessary in this story. The narrative is perfect, it catches instantly and it amazes us.
This is a children’s short film made in 2010 by director Yezi Xue and produced by Ringling College of Art Design. The argument is simple: a grandfather and his grandson enjoy the afternoon making clouds with a curious device.
The grandfather initiates the little one, he has a very special tool that requires some skill. When he leaves it to his grandson, he cannot make those clouds as perfect, as big and fluffy as the ones his grandfather manages to form.
However, the little one manages to achieve it in a very original way. Grandfather makes it easy for him at all times to do what he thinks and wants while helping him and acting as an observant patient, and instantly, as a friendly collaborator. What the child finally achieves is magical …
Let’s look for the bright side: great things can come from mistakes
Another sensational lesson that “A cloudy lesson” leaves us is that we are all fallible and that in this life, no one learns without having made mistakes several times. Even more, something that we must allow in our children is that they can make mistakes, that they can bear the frustration of the error, and later, combine will and confidence to try not once, but a hundred times until they succeed.
This is how a child develops his talent, because beyond what many may think, we all have great abilities, we are all creative, talented and have our own potential. However, the right conditions must be in place so that inner creativity and that exceptional strength that children carry inside can explode and that we only have to “encourage”, push through trust and ideal situations so that they wake up.
Giving children the initiative from time to time is an amazing way for them to grow in responsibility and feel capable of great things.
Working cooperatively, a perfect way to achieve great things
Few bonds are as special as the one that is built between grandparents and grandchildren. It is a special camaraderie, there is trust and there is also that union where love and respect always shape the best stories.
At the same time, something that we can see in “A cloudy lesson” is the contrast between the traditional way of doing something, and the innovation that new generations usually bring. In this story we can see the grandfather making his clouds in the usual way, with that tool that he would surely have inherited from his parents and in turn from his grandparents.
In this story, and thanks to the initiative that the grandfather allows his grandson, we see how the little one, after making mistakes several times, decides to try something new. Decide to innovate . At the same time, his grandfather also does not hesitate to help him, thus shaping the magic of collaboration and trust, where only wonderful things can come out, such as clouds in the shape of stars or animals.
We are without a doubt one of the most special shorts that you will be able to see. We encourage you to share it with your children so that together, you can also build really beautiful things …
