Maggie making a mess with the hose
I am always interested in just watching children. When I was a mom I didn’t feel that way. I was busy trying to maintain order and get people to do what they needed to do. I was busy talking with teachers and helping with homework, cooking, and being involved with the community.
That isn’t to say that I never watched children. I, like you, noticed some of the crazy moments and laughed. There were times when I realized that someone had said something amazing or really cute. There were times when I just really enjoyed watching a child and being with them.
What I am also positive about is that for every wonderful moment I caught I missed a dozen others like it. That is because life can seem pretty mundane at times and the everyday becomes so ordinary.
One of my daughters sent this touching video(All About Your Heart – Mindy Gledhill – feat. Fiona Brawley) to her sisters. It is a small girl dancing to a beautiful song all about acceptance and the wonder of another person. I didn’t write down all the words but here are the ones that really touched me. They aren’t word for word but I will give you the gist of it.
I don’t mind your odd behavior. In fact it’s what endears you to me and I savor it. If you were an ice cream flavor you would be my favorite one. In my imagination I see you as a painting by van Gough. You are brighter than the stars. It’s not about your scars; it’s about your heart.
Maggie, so happy
As I watched this video I was again struck by the magic of children; the absolute wonder of the simple things they do. They are beautiful! When we are talking about children we can focus on their scars (mistakes) or we can pay attention to their hearts.
Children will pout or tell a fib. They will exaggerate and make a mess.
Maggie learning to feed herself
They will disobey and cry and sometimes embarrass you in Wal-Mart. They will wear mismatched socks and make a small hole in the knee of their jeans into a really big hole. They will pour cereal and miss the bowl. They will spill milk and juice. They will clean their room or make a bed and you will wonder how they can think that job is done!
Children are people learning everything for the first time. They learn by consistency and repetition. Sometimes they have to do the same thing ten times before they get it right. They are discovering what they can do now and what they are still too little to manage. We as parents can focus on the mistakes they make or we can focus on their hearts and the wonder of their growth. I hope that if your day has been filled with spilt milk, small and large messes and crying children that this little video will revive your spirit and remind you how wonderful your children are. Then I hope you take a moment to stop and hug each one for no other reason than that you are so privileged to have them for a very short time!
Possibly Related Posts:
- Self Care for Better Parenting – Part 2
- Self Care for Better Parenting – Part 1
- Got Kids 24/7 – 2 Tips to make life easier
- The Screen Free Experiment
- 5 Tips to Put Family first
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