This morning I walked into the kitchen and immediately noticed that the washing up was still sitting on the side from yesterday.

I cringed.

But then I thought about everything else that had happened during the day.

I had:

• Prepared and delivered seven tutoring lessons

• Painted the final door on the wardrobe I'm upcycling

• Reupholstered a chair

• Chased outstanding invoices

• Planned the following day

None of these things were particularly exciting. They were simply jobs that needed doing.

The trouble is, when we try to do everything at once, something inevitably has to give.

Yesterday, it was the washing up.

And it struck me that the same thing often happens with the children we work with.

We Ask Them to Do Everything

We ask a child to write a story.

At the same time, we expect:

• A good plot

• Interesting vocabulary

• Correct punctuation

• Accurate spelling

• Neat handwriting

• Finger spaces

• Capital letters

The list goes on.

Each expectation is reasonable on its own.

But together?

Sometimes it's simply too much.

Celebrate the achievement

A while ago, I was working with a boy on a piece of creative writing.

We spent the lesson developing ideas, building the story, and improving the content.

By the end of the session, he had written something he was genuinely proud of.

And rightly so.

The story was imaginative, well thought through, and far better than what he would have produced an hour earlier.

At the end of the session, he eagerly showed her his work.

Her response was immediate.

"There's no finger spaces."

The look on his face said everything.

All he heard was what he hadn't done.

Not what he had achieved.

Sometimes We Need to Choose a Focus

The reality is that we can't improve everything at once.

Children can't.

Adults can't.

I can't.

If I focus on delivering seven lessons, chasing invoices, and painting wardrobes, perhaps the washing up has to wait until tomorrow.

If a child is concentrating on developing their ideas and writing a better story, perhaps their finger spaces won't be perfect this time.

And that's OK.

Because learning is a journey.

Over time, the things that once required huge amounts of concentration will often become automatic.

Handwriting improves.

Finger spaces become natural.

Spellings become easier.

The skills slowly layer on top of one another.

A Little Reminder

Whether you're supporting a child, running a business, revising for exams, or simply trying to keep on top of life, remember this:

You do not have to master everything at once.

Focus on the next step.

Celebrate what has improved.

Acknowledge what has been achieved.

And trust that the rest will come with time and practice.

Eventually, it all comes together.

In the meantime, perhaps we should all be a little kinder to ourselves (and to each other).

Even if the washing up is still on the side.