A tapestry is a decorative, woven wall hanging. Tapestries can be of various sizes and may depict a wide array of patterns or images. Usually, a tapestry is sought out for decorative use, to liven up an area, to add a touch of beauty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I recently thought of this idea of a tapestry as a metaphor for the way many things are woven together into an overall influence on children. Each child has his or her own tapestry of influence, woven from a number of individual influencing strands. These tapestries of influence may appear in a myriad different styles, patterns, and strength levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unlike a physical tapestry that someone decides to create, no individual person has full control of a child’s tapestry of influence. It is woven by many people and many circumstances. Every person that interacts with a child adds a strand of influence to the tapestry. Everything a child sees and hears adds a strand too. Some of the strands are reinforced by additional strands that are added in at the same place. Other strands fade into the background because nothing else reinforced them. Rather than producing a beautiful tapestry, for some children this process may create a tapestry that is an unpleasant hodgepodge of influences that leads them down devastating paths. The more fortunate children may receive a beautiful tapestry that inspires them and leads them to great heights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is possible to have some control of these strands of influence that build a child’s tapestry. But to do so, it’s important to recognize the many sources of the strands that create a child’s tapestry of influence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some common sources of those strands of influence are:
Family members
Teachers at school
Religious groups
Peers at school, in the neighborhood, and online
Television shows
Movies (on T.V. or in theaters)
Social media content
Online entertainment
Video games
Advertising (on T.V., online, in public places)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With those sources it’s possible for a parent or responsible adult to have some influence on how much the source can affect a child. There are also a few sources that are outside our direct control. These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Past experiences (once they’ve happened, there’s no going back)
Genetic characteristics
Maturity level<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are many more things that could add strands of influence. A good rule of thumb is that if the child sees, hears, or experiences it, there will be a strand added to the child’s tapestry of influence. The more something is repeated, the more strands will be added. The sources that the child spends the most time with may tend to add the most strands to the tapestry, whether the sources are people or activities or even products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Weaving this tapestry is a lifelong process. While they’re children, the responsible adults in their lives have the greatest ability to control the strands added to the tapestry. As they grow into adulthood, however, they will increasingly take more control of the strands that are woven in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Consider what kind of tapestry is being woven around your children. Are you involved in the process or is the tapestry being woven without your knowledge? It’s important to intentionally weave the best tapestry you can around your children. While you have influence on who or what weaves the strands, do everything you can to keep your child around sources of light to weave strands into their tapestry of influence and keep them away from the sources that are likely to weave in threads of darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The results of a child’s tapestry of influence will be manifested in the child’s values, personality, and behavior.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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