I have been trying to decide how bad it is to wake up with Disney songs in my head. Not any of the traditional songs from any movie but one from a princess collection DVD that we have. I don’t believe that it has even been played since dialysis almost a year ago!
My point is this: how much time are we devoting to the minutiae that encompasses our kids lives? I know that most stay at home parents will know their kids fairly well. Nuances of speech and mannerisms can tell you more about your child than you realize. For those who work, how much do we actually know about those nuances and can we recognize them?
Very simply, the more time we spend with our kids, the better we willknow them. Sure there are logistics involved and places to run to and things that have to be done. Sometimes, spending “time” with the kids is running them around in the car. How well can you observe them while driving?
One of my favorite things to do is to watch them play outside. And by watch them I mean from inside the house. I haven’t used binoculars yet but I am not above it. Just watching them play by themselves gives you wonderful insight into their developing personalities.
One of my most favorite memories is of my son. He was barely 4 and had received a red wagon for his birthday. There is a small hill in our front yard and seeing him run up and down that hill, dragging that wagon for all he was worth and smiling ear to ear was one of the best things I had ever seen. I watch him now playing on the swings in the backyard and playing with the dog and I have one of those warm fuzzy feelings. The same feeling you get from a Norman Rockwell painting or one of those TV shows from the 50’s where life is idyllic and nothing can go wrong. What did I learn? The boy like to run and tow things. He has several trucks tied together so they can “tow like a trailer”. I let him help hook up the trailer when we go camping and he is fascinated by the interplay of hitch ball and coupler, let alone the safety chains.
Quick, when did your child learn to whistle? Time’s up. My older daughter still can’t. My son tries but doesn’t get much going. My 3 year old learned while on dialysis. She taught herself because Mickey Mouse was whistling and she wanted to try. It was almost embarrassing for the doctors to bring all of their colleagues around because this little 2 year old (at the time) could whistle.
It has been said so many times now that it is cliche. “Kids grow up so fast!” Cliche but true. My 9 year old lost a tooth last night and informed us this morning that she has lost 20 teeth because she has all of the golden dollar coins that she has received from the tooth fairy. She is saving for a pony. She is also sneaky. She writes quizzes to the Tooth Fairy and demands answers. I am just glad the Tooth Fairy answers her queries with the same enthusiasm that Santa Claus does.
My wife and I decided long ago that we would not push our kids into things that we wanted them to do unless they wanted to as well. We also decided that we would watch and see what they gravitated towards and nudge them that way.
My oldest has always loved animals but may want to be a Nurse like Mom. She is spending a week with my sister the vet tech on their farm this summer to learn more about taking care of animals. She is also writing a story that I am going to explore in another post. I may have her blogging by Independence Day!
My Son is almost 7 now but loves anything with wings or wheels. He wants to fly in the Navy. He also wants to drive fast. Personally I think he should be a NASCAR mechanic. We will have to see with him.
My 3 year old will probably end up in the medical field. She has a doctor set and doctors everyone just like she was doctored in the hospital. We have all had dialysis and transplants. She has dolls with kidney scars. Of course, she would love to be Belle, Cinderella, Snow White, or Sleeping Beauty as well. There is time.
Think of your kids. Do you know what radio stations they listen to? Do you know what movies they are liking as they grow up? My Wife and I are bad influences, Star Wars and Indiana Jones are among the kids favorites now.
Last preachy point. Observe your kids. Hang out at your computer and let them interact with each other, but watch them. Learn their intricacies. Play up their strong points. Help them with their weak points. Above all, Love Them Like There is No Tomorrow. They grow up so fast.
