We all know that inertia is a massive unseen force in our lives. You hear things about it all the time. “Get off the couch and overcome inertia so you can be a success.”
Since inertia follows us everywhere, why not embrace it instead of fighting it? Stop trying to do battle and embrace inertia.
I have one of those children – the kind who doesn’t like change. If you are reading, it is hard to put the book down. Programming? Cannot stop that for anything in the world! When he was little, it was even a struggle to get out the door. Some may put labels on it but for us, it was always his battle with inertia. That is until we figured out that embracing it was the better choice. When he gave in to inertia, my child could focus. He read the entire book in one sitting. He could debug computer programs all night until there wasn’t a single one left. He could even master math.
If you have a child who has trouble changing tasks, just schedule one subject a day, of perhaps two. Allow them to embed themselves in a subject. In many ways, people who naturally embrace inertia have an advantage. They naturally become scientists, musicians, computer engineers, and novelists. Embracing inertia allows them to deeply learn and master, not just skim the surface.
The next time your child doesn’t want to stop something, consider letting them be. Join in alongside them and together you can embrace the inertia.