packing the parachute
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Charles Plumb, a U.S. Navy jet pilot in Vietnam, fought 75 combat missions before his plane was destroyed by a missile. He ejected and safely parachuted onto land. Unfortunately, he fell into enemy hands. After being captured, he spent six years in a communist Vietnamese prison. He survived, and one day while eating at a restaurant with his wife, a man came up to him and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"
"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.
"I packed your parachute," the man replied.
Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude.
Shaking his hand the man replied, "I guess it worked!"
Plumb assured him, "It did. If you're chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."
Plumb reflected how the sailor, unknown to him must have spent hours in the bowels of the ship carefully assembling each parachute for pilots he didn't even know. Grateful for the service of this sailor, Plumb poses the question, "who has done something to help make your day safer, easier, or more pleasant? Or, have you witnessed others “packing” for someone else?"
We are all impacted by those who provide what we need to make it through the day. Consider who contributes to packing our student's parachutes. Will they be safe when they fall?
They will all fall at some point (i.e. experience adversity, make mistakes, and fail). Unfortunately, when Plumb landed he fell into enemy hands. Where do our students land when they fall? Are they met with hostility, criticism, contempt, demands to toughen up, or stonewalling? Those responses will not build their resilience (the ability to bounce back from adversity). What will build their resilience is being met with support from a stable caring adult who knows and understands how it feels to "fall into enemy territory". To pack their parachute safely we can:
Our students need someone in front of them to cheer them on, behind them to have their back, and next to them so they are not alone. Catch them doing good, no matter how small the effort. They are doing the best they can with the skills they have. Behavior that is reinforced is more likely to be repeated.
Consider the impact of taking the time to make eye contact and say, “hello,” “please,” “thank you,” “way to go!” "I'm so proud of you."
"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.
"I packed your parachute," the man replied.
Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude.
Shaking his hand the man replied, "I guess it worked!"
Plumb assured him, "It did. If you're chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."
Plumb reflected how the sailor, unknown to him must have spent hours in the bowels of the ship carefully assembling each parachute for pilots he didn't even know. Grateful for the service of this sailor, Plumb poses the question, "who has done something to help make your day safer, easier, or more pleasant? Or, have you witnessed others “packing” for someone else?"
We are all impacted by those who provide what we need to make it through the day. Consider who contributes to packing our student's parachutes. Will they be safe when they fall?
They will all fall at some point (i.e. experience adversity, make mistakes, and fail). Unfortunately, when Plumb landed he fell into enemy hands. Where do our students land when they fall? Are they met with hostility, criticism, contempt, demands to toughen up, or stonewalling? Those responses will not build their resilience (the ability to bounce back from adversity). What will build their resilience is being met with support from a stable caring adult who knows and understands how it feels to "fall into enemy territory". To pack their parachute safely we can:
- Help them recognize how they feel, e.g. "You look sad" (or disappointed, frustrated, angry, upset, sad...)
- Empathize, e.g. "That must have been really hurtful" (or painful, disappointing, frustrating, upsetting...)
- Convey caring, e.g. "I know what that's like." (or "I don't know what that's like.")
- Listen attentively, without judging or fixing, e.g. put down the phone or set aside other distractions and give them our undivided attention.
- Ask them what they need, e.g. a break, a resource, support, time...
- Express belief in them to overcome the adversity, e.g. Identify prior situations when they overcame.
- Help them problem solve, if needed:
- e.g. SODAS: Identify the situation, list options, compare the advantages and disadvantages, and plan a solution.
Our students need someone in front of them to cheer them on, behind them to have their back, and next to them so they are not alone. Catch them doing good, no matter how small the effort. They are doing the best they can with the skills they have. Behavior that is reinforced is more likely to be repeated.
Consider the impact of taking the time to make eye contact and say, “hello,” “please,” “thank you,” “way to go!” "I'm so proud of you."
It takes a community to pack a child's parachute with SAFETY CONNECTION & CONFIDENCE.
Thank you to everyone who helps pack the parachutes for the student's in WCSD everyday!
Thank you to everyone who helps pack the parachutes for the student's in WCSD everyday!
- Families (nuclear and extended family members)
- Employees (teachers, administrators, counselors, nurses, mental health clinicians, secretaries, custodians, paraprofessionals, food servers, transportation, business administrators, our Superintendent and District leaders)
- Community Partners (law enforcement, medicine, mental health, supports and services)
