Symbol of You by Your Child For a Personal Totem Pole

Granddaughter totem pole with symbols.

Helping our grandson come up with a totem pole with symbols for his 8th grade project has been thought provoking. The same project was completed by our granddaughter when she was in 8th grade. 

They are given questions like; what they thought about a symbol of someone or something you have been influenced by or learned the most from.’  The next one was show a symbol of something/someone you love and admire; a symbol of a character trait you value (e.g. honesty, dligence, patience, etc.); symbol of something you like to do that is important to you and that you learn things that teaches you lessons you can apply in other areas of your life.  All of these symbols were to be represented on the totem pole.

Who Has Influenced Your Child?

It’s an assignment that makes a child really think about their life and those that have influenced them. When my grandson and I were talking over the assignment, he had many things that we discussed. At this age his world is still small, so big ideas about Obamacare health laws or the national debt being left to him were not in his thoughts. These questions made him dig around to find some answers that were impacting him powerfully.

Of course his world includes his mother and father…so who would be the symbol on top of the pole? He informed me that the American Indians he had researched from our state of Washington believed that the top symbol and the bottom symbol of a totem pole were of equal value. Awesome! Both parents counted equally as Dad is on the top and Mom is on the bottom. The old addage of ‘low man on the totem pole’ did not apply. I could go into detail on what questions and symbols represented each person, but let me get to the point of this post.

How do Your Children See You in Their Lives? 

Grandson’s totem pole with symbols…not dry enough to fire yet

I remember when our granddaughter was the tender age of four and we were making a Christmas mug for her mom. She had her own thought as to what was important to her mother. This tiny little girl drew a computer and the words ‘eBay’ on it. Her explanation was, “This is really important to my mom and she likes it a lot. She sells stuff on eBay and spends a lot of time on the computer”.  I will say that the grandson’s symbol for his dad was his hand…he worked hard and a lot. As for his mom, she is the eagle symbol at the bottom. Part of his explanation was, “The mother eagle will push her eaglet out of the nest and then soar down to just under the falling eaglet to boost them into an air current where she will pull away and let them feel the wind under their own wings.” He also brought up the fact that no matter what he did or where he was, his mother could see everything he did. She always managed to be around when he really needed her.

What Has Your Child Been Noticing about Your Family and You?

How would your child explain in symbols your life involved with theirs? Maybe you think they’re too young to notice that you’re working all the time or you spend endless hours online keeping up that/those blog(s) that bring in the extra income for your family. Whatever the case, your children know something about you that you probably don’t know they’ve noticed. Be it good or not, they are absorbing information all the time about you and their family structure.

Symbols on totem pole complete with acrylic paints

Be intentional about what you want your children to learn from your behavior…your participation in their lives. Find the middle of the road and live a life you’d want them to copy. You’re setting up a life for them right now by your example…a life that reaches far into their future, their marriage, their children’s lives. All of that is happening now. Step back from your busy-ness and be in the moment….intentionally!

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