Every now and then I talk to groups of nervous parents. All parents are nervous. Under the surface of relative calm and confidence, we worry ourselves sick. I try to take some of the doubt and turn it into trust.
Remember when you taught your child to eat, I ask. Some people nod. Yes, yes, I remember that ordeal.
Remember when you taught them to walk? Hands shoot up. Frankly, I wasn’t sure he’d ever get the hang of it!
How about when you taught your kid to talk: to move their jaw, lift the tongue, purse the lips and push the breath past the teeth? By now, some are beginning to get the drift.
We don’t teach our children any of this. We show them. They follow. Whether they follow our lead or the impulse of their own intrinsic genius is anyone’s guess. The grass grows by itself.
Those things we don’t teach are the greatest teachings of all. I hope your children have that kind of teacher; I hope mine does, too.
True freedom is freedom from fear.
Perfection, here. Thank you.
Comment by Elizabeth Aquino — July 4, 2012 @ 11:10 am
Yes, things happen when they happen, like when flowers bloom.
Beautiful post.
I always think: if they don’t understand what I am saying to them their brain is not ready for it yet. So I’ll say it again (later).
Comment by Simone — July 5, 2012 @ 2:27 am
Thank you for the reminder. This is a great lesson.
Comment by Imelda — July 5, 2012 @ 10:56 am
Goosebumps. Again. Love this so very much.
Comment by Sarah Stanton — July 6, 2012 @ 10:09 am
Reunited with Greg & the girls last night after a whole week apart. Aviva couldn’t wait to show me her growth spurt–a whole shoe size, two inches taller, and small explosions in areas I promised not to mention. She stayed up till nearly 11pm organizing the bathroom drawers. Then she crawled into my bed and reached over for my hand in the dark.
Oh, I know so well the worry.
So I did the thing I didn’t have to think about at all. I took her hand.
Comment by Jena — July 8, 2012 @ 1:39 am