Including new ideas and connections that fit within and expand the successes of an existing program is itself thrilling and makes the project doubly rewarding. It makes elemental sense to take advantage of natural connections, and is foolish to not do so when possible.
Two aspects of the exercise are important: (1) the creative part - identifying the connections, possibilities, and benefits consistent with the original purpose, and (2) the practical part - finding the resources for implementation.
The kids demonstrated connections that might be included in your game of throw and catch, but cranky Dad was not seeing the merits. The kids probably were not able to articulate their purpose; Dad was caught up in the game as it had been defined, perhaps forgetting its broader purpose. But afterward, outside of the game, the possibilities in fun and learning that could extend the reach of purpose, became more obvious. If someone had stopped cranky Dad and told him how going over the bank could be an enhancement rather than merely a disruption of the purpose of the game, he would have been happier to incorporate new rules.
But identification aside, cranky Dad will not expand the game unless he can be made to see how the new ideas can in fact be incorporated. The pesky reality of life is that when existing funding is restricted and new funding not available, the game can not be changed. Someone needs to address the opportunities for additional resources, or to identify actions that do not add significant cost to the original project.
It does little good to berate cranky Dad after the game for squelching the boys exuberance – it’s too late. Had Dad not been cranky, or had someone been able to identify the possibilities and see how to craft new rules during the game, perhaps the thrill of going over the edge might have infected them all.
Including new ideas and connections that fit within and expand the successes of an existing program is itself thrilling and makes the project doubly rewarding. It makes elemental sense to take advantage of natural connections, and is foolish to not do so when possible.
Two aspects of the exercise are important: (1) the creative part - identifying the connections, possibilities, and benefits consistent with the original purpose, and (2) the practical part - finding the resources for implementation.
The kids demonstrated connections that might be included in your game of throw and catch, but cranky Dad was not seeing the merits. The kids probably were not able to articulate their purpose; Dad was caught up in the game as it had been defined, perhaps forgetting its broader purpose. But afterward, outside of the game, the possibilities in fun and learning that could extend the reach of purpose, became more obvious. If someone had stopped cranky Dad and told him how going over the bank could be an enhancement rather than merely a disruption of the purpose of the game, he would have been happier to incorporate new rules.
But identification aside, cranky Dad will not expand the game unless he can be made to see how the new ideas can in fact be incorporated. The pesky reality of life is that when existing funding is restricted and new funding not available, the game can not be changed. Someone needs to address the opportunities for additional resources, or to identify actions that do not add significant cost to the original project.
It does little good to berate cranky Dad after the game for squelching the boys exuberance – it’s too late. Had Dad not been cranky, or had someone been able to identify the possibilities and see how to craft new rules during the game, perhaps the thrill of going over the edge might have infected them all.