Thursday, September 30, 2010

How to Really Love a Child

Yesterday, my post included a cute quote 
from a journal entry I wrote for Kyle:

4-1-99 [Age 7]
...On the homefront, you touched my heart deeply yesterday with something you said.  You called me into the bathroom to draw my attention to a plaque that we have hanging on the wall. It’s called “How to REALLY love a child,” and has some delightful ways to have fun with kids.  You said to me, “Mommy, you don’t need that.  You already know how to love a child.  You love me.  And I love you.” Melted my heart...

I Googled the title and found it here. Years later, I still absolutely love it. It completely embodies the parenting style I tried to embrace when my kids your younger...
How to Really Love a Child

Be there. Say yes as often as possible. Let
them bang on pots and pans. If they're crabby,
put them in water. If they're unlovable,
love yourself
.  Realize how important it is to be
 a child. Go to a movie theater in your pajamas. 
Read books out loud with joy. Invent pleasures
together. Remember how really small they are.
Giggle a lot. Surprise them.
Say no when
necessary. Teach feelings. Heal your own
inner child. Learn about parenting. Hug trees
together.  Make loving safe.  Bake a cake and
eat it with no hands.  Go find elephants and
kiss them.  Plan to build a rocket ship.
 Imagine
yourself magic. Make lots of forts with
blankets. Let your angel fly. Reveal your
own dreams. Search out the positive.  Keep
the gleam in your eye. Mail letters to God
.
Encourage silly. Plant licorice in your garden.
Stop yelling. Express your love.  A lot. Speak
kindly. Paint their tennis shoes. Handle with caring.

Children Are Miraculous

Don't you just love it?

15 comments:

  1. I've seen this before but it has been a long time ago. Love it and am going to copy it for my daughter and daughter in law to have. Such truth and the time passes so quickly. Blessings abundant to you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I totally love this! Thank you for sharing it! I am going to print it out and hang it on my fridge - it's awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great advice. I especially like the cake eating with NO HANDS. I'm already plotting on that one with my grandsons. Their parents had better have cameras ready.

    ReplyDelete
  4. That is wonderful. I needed that!

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is wonderful! I'm printing this out.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Just finished your last two posts. Good stuff. It shows the reason we have kids.
    The "how to" has the key words - imagination, magic, silly, invent, surprise, etc.
    I so wish those traits could stay with people throughout they whole life.
    Your journal idea is a great one. But even if adults don't write it down they should still enjoy those moments with kids. Interesting that the advice never mentions TV, DVD, or other mind numbing stuff. I always find myself on the floor with my grandkids. You need to get down and see the world from their view.
    thanks for the good advice.

    ReplyDelete
  7. great advice. esp the stop yellin bit. i have 3 kids: 4, 2 and 1 and thats what i do most days. the youngest is the most handful.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It has been a while since I have seen this but yes I do love it!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Never seen this before... It is simply wonderful [Big smiles]!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I must have read it when my kids were young. A couple tenets were so valuable. Say yes as often as possible, and when cranky put them in water.

    I used those a lot. All good advice and gathered into a handy form. Thanks for that.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh I love this poem. That is so perfect - and a reminder we all need, I think. Especially the putting kids in water part. Yikes.

    LOVE Kyle's reaction to it. What a sweet kid.

    ReplyDelete

Your 2 cents...