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Need for quality children’s literature
And so I’ve been on a quest to find my kids quality children’s literature. While they’re still just in preschool I started to realize that many of the books we had seemed too superficial. They seem like a children’s version of a public service announcement that offered only empty platitudes
Surprising Reality of the Three Little Pigs
And so as I started digging I then came across some of the the classic children’s tales, including the Three Little Pigs. And I admit, at first, this classic telling of the story surprised me a bit, but then I grew to love it. For example, it surprised me me that it didn’t sugarcoat the realities of the big bad wolf…that not only did the wolf blow the house down of the first and second little pigs, but he also ate them up, which is what a wolf would do.
Cunning Third Little Pig
But then what I found particularly insightful was the cunningness of the third little pig. Not only did he build his house of brick that was strong enough to resist the the huffing and puffing of the wolf, but the story goes on to show how many different ways he outwitted the schemes of the wolf. And then, in the end, it was a little pig that actually ate the wolf for dinner.
Our need to becoming cunning as well
Shortly after buying the book and reading it several nights to my kids, a client came in and as he was telling me his story I started to notice this repeating pattern of relational challenges. And just then it clicked for me that these challenges were his big bad wolf. And if he continued to face these challenges like the first and second little pig then the challenges will continue to take him out.
His challenge like all of ours is learn how to be cunning like that third little pig. We see our challenges for what they are and learn how to make a better response. We change ourselves and don’t merely complain about how bad our situation is. And we will be eaten alive like that first and second little pig when we keep doing things in the same way.
Consuming our challenges and making them work for us
And more than just resisting our challenges we learn how to consume it and make it work for us. Those things that once held us back in fear are now fueling us as we find our way forward. And so whenever that big bet wolf comes knocking at your door you can now say with confidence not by the hair of my chinny chin chin
