How to Ignite the Dreamer in Your Child
We, the successors of a country and a time
Where a skinny Black girl,
Descended from slaves and raised by a single mother,
Can dream of becoming president,
Only to find herself reciting for one.”
- Amanda Gorman, The Hill We Climb, 2021 Presidential Inauguration
If you didn’t know, April is National Poetry Month and I can think of no better way to celebrate it and explore how to ignite the dreamer in your child than to talk about the brilliance that is Amanda Gorman.
Watching this “skinny Black girl” perform with such poise on arguably the biggest stage… was. a. moment. What really touched me was knowing all the young children, especially Black girls, whose wide eyes and eager ears took in these moments… saw themselves in her and dared to dream of all they could be, too. So, who better to inspire us to ignite the dreamer in our children than Amanda Gorman?
Imagination: The power of visualization is real. In fact, Amanda spoke of it when performing ROAR. In general, visualization activates the creative, problem-solving, and solution-finding areas of our brains. To practice with your teen, have them imagine a future moment of success. Then ask specific questions like: What are you wearing? Who are you with? What do you see/hear/smell? How do you feel? The more you ask, the more specific and real their visualizations will be. And the more real they feel? Well, the hungrier your child will be to make them happen.
Craft: When speaking with Oprah, Amanda discussed why she listened to Maya Angelou’s inaugural poem every morning. “I was in a deep place where I was trying to analyze the power of poetry to speak for a people and speak for a populace, and to do so with hope. And having Maya’s poem as an example […] that’s how I grounded myself every morning.” Put simply, encourage your child to become dedicated students of their craft and those who came before them.
Self-Concept: In another interview, Amanda highlighted “family meetings” growing up. Starting at the age of 3, her mother created a space where everyone, including the dog, would come together to discuss life, news, and struggles. Each family member also took turns moderating, and so, Amanda noted, “Even with my speech impediment, this meant that daily, I had a platform in which my voice was heard.” Need I say more?
Education: Of course, I had to throw this one in! Amanda credits her mother, who earned her doctorate and master’s degrees while raising three kids, for inspiring her daily to seek higher education. The beautiful thing about education is that it breeds knowledge and curiosity, two things that can never be taken from us. So, when we instill learning as default setting in our children, we are ensuring that the paths to their dreams are not only aligned with their interests, but informed by their knowledge.
I’ll leave you with perhaps Amanda Gorman’s most impactful verse:
“…For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only, we’re brave enough to be it.”
To ignite the dreamer in your child is to ignite the light that will change the world. I’d love to hear more about your dreamer. Slide in my inbox and let’s talk more about how they can change the world!
Until next time,
Linnita Hosten