Today was one of those much needed days. We did Latin and math over breakfast. By the time we stopped, we were all giggling so hard it hurt. We read together for a very long time. Then we headed to the Marine Museum.
I'll blog another time about my fondness for memberships and the guilt-free spontaneity they provide, but for now, I'm just going to wallow in the wonder of remembering that occasionally it's OK to say, "Sure!" It's perfectly acceptable to tell your children, "Yes! Let's do it your way!" As a matter of fact, I think it's necessary, and good for all involved. It allows your children the opportunity to explore their world at their leisure and to feel your trust and interest in them from a different angle. It also allows you to glimpse a truly uninhibited peek at how they are designing and forming their inner spaces.
Sometimes it may reflect less-than-noble images, which, if taken with wisdom and grace, can be a guide for you to use in adjusting your own attitude and presentation of life's lessons. Other times you will see a shimmer of the incredible adult who is emerging before your eyes, and you will see it through the eyes of the incredible child who is here with you now, and who still needs you so very much. I saw it through three sets of eyes today, and I'm exhausted, but joyful.
Today I saw the absolutely ecstatic convulsions brought on when an 11-month old sees the floor-to-ceiling aquarium around the corner. I had no idea he was double jointed! We were also afraid he's pop a blood vessel before he could get to the wall to stand up and talk to the fish. His legs couldn't keep up as he flew across the floor uttering, "Oh! FFFFFF! FFFFFFF! Mama! FFFFFF!" Have you ever seen a child so excited he trembles? I love that.
We lunched at the otter pond with our Wonderful Neighbors and walked the nature trail twice. (That was one of the "yes" moments. Why can't we walk back the way we came? Let's go for it!) This trail will be one of our staples for science this year, I can tell.
Four puppet shows, two fossil identification cards and eight dinosaur drawings later, the boys wanted to drive home with the Wonderful Neighbor Girls. I was tempted to say no. Not for any particular reason other than habit. However, there wasn't any reason not to allow them to go along. (Wonderful NeighborMom didn't mind and it's not like she'd have to drive out of her way...) So a very happy, sleepy baby and I picked up some books I'd lent to a friend, visited briefly, and arrived home to two very happy, very "filled" children. They had been filled with attention, time, interest and trust. We topped off a splendid day with several hours of playtime when Zorak arrived home, dinner with the Wonderful Neighbors, and stories before bed.
We certainly got our RDA for family nutrition today, and you know, it was so easy...
How do you get your Family Nutrition intake?
Dy
2 comments:
I really enjoyed this post! It so expresses my feelings about my children. I am seeking to give them more and more space to grow by letting them take the lead on things I feel they're ready for. They love it. I'm also seeking to look at them with eyes of love instead of as a taskmaster (my natural tendency). It truly makes all the difference in the world in how they respond. Blessings!
Yep, I think you've hit on one of the best parenting tools there is; saying 'yes' when you can.
Jill in OK
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