I am re-reading the book "Bringing Up Girls" by Dr. Dobson. I read most of it when Olivia was an infant. Although I agreed with what I read, it really had little meaning to me. All it did was scare the pants off! Moms, you can relate. When you are holding this wriggling, smiley, cooing child that has the cleanest toes she'll ever have, it can be difficult to process that she will grow up. She will walk, talk, laugh, grumble, and even teach you things you never realized. It happened to me... So, I didn't think much of the culture around us as far as she was concerned. The reality began to hit when I observed the "baby" clothes at the local stores...
Spoiled Brat
Princess in Training
Nobody is Happy if I am Crying
Etc., you know the ones
By themselves, I suppose it is harmless. The child can't read their bib, after all. Just occurred to me then that maybe I'm in for it. Well, I refused to have any of those things on my girl. Some thought it silly, but I was adamant about it. Now, she knows what's on her shirts. Words, no problem, she simply asks me to spell them out for her...
Down to the main point of my post today. Without sounding like I am trying to form a formal picket group, moms, we have got to TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY. Our role, I mean. We have these precious little people that don't always act that way. And we are supposed to nurture, care for, laugh and cry with, train and instruct them. We cart them here and there, give them an abundance of toys and activities and mean well to love them. After beginning this book again in a whole new light with a preschooler, I see where I fail miserably. Not just my human self in its desire for perfection, but when I prioritize things over time with her. There is so much more I could do with her, without giving her control of the house, like most parents may think of a stay at home mom. We could talk about her favorite things, sit together and sing the songs she picks, have more tea parties and talk about manners, and on and on. Honestly, I am thrilled to have made myself pull this book back off the shelf. She is young. Do you have young ones? We have time, God willing.
Today is fresh. No matter what consequences we suffer from choices made yesterday, guilt we may have over the past, God promises that His mercies are NEW EVERY MORNING. Oh thank you Jesus! Thank you for today, when I make the choice to dress up the dolls and play Polly pockets. For the record, after only a short time of nurture in the floor with her, she was more than excited to help me with laundry and dishes, which I consider to be bonding time too.
In salute to our role as Moms, I include a short list of things that only I would know about her. I hope you'll sit down and make your list. God knows you have one!
-there are three pair of socks that she will pitch a fit halfway through trying to get them on...too tight
-she has a "secret garden" in our mailbox flower bed that she waters daily
-when I put dessert on her lunch plate, she will eat everything else before she indulges!
-she gets so excited when other children come that she hides behind the wall of the living room
-library trips are a true thrill for her...she goes straight for the reading section where she can pull books out of the basket and sit to read them
-she contradicts herself all the time:"I do want to eat, but I don't" haha
-if I am not feeling well, she runs straight for the band aids...
-she sleeps with her feet criss cross in the car when we are out during nap...she says they get "tingly" if she doesn't
Oh, how I would love to go on, but by now, I am hoping you are forming your own list that you just have to go write down for her to read someday!
