A startling “BOOM” rocked the neighborhood, and sent thick glass flying every direct

ion. The two fifteen-year-olds scientists inside the exploded outbuilding-turned

-laboratory struggled to reorient. Their stunned “what happened” gaze at each other
was interrupted by a second boom. This explosion forced Dale to his knees and k
nocked off his glasses. He didn’t need his glasses, however, to see that the floor
was on fire. He quickly put it out. I ran outside. Dale soon joined me, and no
ticed out loud that the explosion had ripped open my knee. Further inspection r
evealed it had also cut open the back of my hand, and removed the top of my pink
y. A minute later, Dale’s mother was on the phone with my mine. “Come quickly, the
kids have had an accident.”
Parents who nurture curiosity in children take a risk. The process of learning r
equires the input of error—and sometimes things go very badly. Like that day in De
cember, 1968.
<b>Is it Worth It?</b>
Civilization has progressed to our current state through the ongoing conflict of
curiosity (an inner push to know more) versus caution (the desire of humans for
safety). Curiosity advances. Caution stabilizes and sometimes retreats. Both qu
alities are desirable, and your child has a unique and dynamic curiosity/caution
ratio that will have a large impact on how she or he lives life.
Dale’s parents, and my own, were big on nurturing curiosity. I am ever grateful th
ey allowed us the freedom to “blow up” the backyard. Looking back, I am aware that t
here could be no short-term gain from cosigning on a $500 loan for teenagers to
purchase volatile laboratory equipment. But they were willing to risk to achieve
“long term” gains—character traits that their sacrifice could nurture in inquiring mi
nds.
<b>Payoff</b>
The tickle of curiosity has propelled mankind from the cave to the moon. The eve
r-widening perspective provided by curiosity has expanded our concern beyond the
end of our nose into other lives and other universes.
Curiosity also expands the universe inside the person by spawning other strength
s. Advancing in the direction of one’s imagination requires confidence and self-e
fficacy. The expansion of one’s knowledge base facilitates the development of per
spective—or ability to see life in ways that make sense to themselves and others.
Transcendence is added to the legacy in a way that multiplies the meaningfulnes
s of life for that child and the people who will be influenced by the child.
A recent article on the website, Talent Development Resources summarized what
curiosity can do for for us:
When we open ourselves up to the wonders of the universe, we see more wonders. T
hen we can see ourselves as wonders. (Alloro n.d.)
Curiosity, like parents, can “nurture” us (if we are lucky enough to live through it
). One of many other strengths it can produce in us is “self-efficacy” –a sense of per
sonal adequacy. Other strengths spawned by curiosity include the hunger for and
acquisition of “knowledge”, “perspective” and “transcendence”.
Katrina