The Glass Ball Analogy for Parents & Professionals
Do you ever feel like you’re juggling a million and one things, and if you pause for every one second too long…someone’s gonna lose their balls lol. But seriously…
As parents and professionals, we all have a never ending to-do list, chock full of priorities. Balancing all of our everyday tasks is a real-life circus act we all perform, though we secretly wish we could just leave the circus every once in a while.
One day, while searching for strategies to help me more efficiently juggle (as if I didn’t have enough balls already), I read a quote from renowned author, Nora Roberts, who cited Bryan Dyson, the former CEO of Coca Cola for the analogy she shared. It really resonated with me, and I hope it brings you clarity, too!
When asked how she juggles all of her responsibilities Nora said, “The key to juggling is to know that some of the balls you have in the air are made of rubber and some are made of glass. And if you drop a rubber ball, it bounces, no harm done. If you drop a glass ball, it shatters, so you have to know which balls are glass and which are rubber and prioritize catching the glass ones.”
Now, I love a good analogy and this one stopped me right in my tracks. It’s one I go back to anytime I feel like I need to get clear about what is really important to me.
As one person, I know that I can’t do it all, and it’s important to me that I don’t look back and see that I shattered the glass balls while trying to keep the rubber ones in the air.
For example, as a parent, connecting with my kids is glass. Giving my children full, undivided attention is a non-negotiable for me, so when it starts to slip from my juggling act, I know immediately that something needs to be done. And, as a parent, having a tidy home is rubber. It’s not a priority for me, and if I drop the ball, it will still be there waiting for me on the floor (next to my toddler’s sock, and crumbs from breakfast).
As a child-led speech therapist, connecting with my clients and their families is glass, as well. I have seen the transformative power of connecting with my autistic clients and how being a present, empathetic partner to my clients and their families can make a world of difference. The rubber in my clinical practice takes the form of a pinterest perfect therapy plan, and a tidy clinic with nothing out of place.
I know that these things are just distractions from the ultimate goal: to follow my clients’ leads so that they can show me who they are and what they want to communicate about.
Whether you are a parent or professional, or both, I encourage you to take an inventory of all of the things you are juggling right now. Identify those which are glass and those which are rubber. Trust your instincts on this and make adjustments as needed, remembering that rubber balls will bounce back but once glass shatters, it will never be the same.
Are you ready for a communication transformation?
The glass ball analogy is also really important when it comes to language development for gestalt language processors. In The Great Language Partner Program, you will learn how to identify your priorities and your child’s unique strengths and needs while becoming their most connected, authentic communication partner.
