Ouch Kisses!

My nephews enjoy kisses when they get hurt. At times even a blown kiss would help them with their minor bumps and scrapes.  After a fall, or some other such mishaps, they would look to one of the adults in the room and one of us would go and give a kiss or blow one depending on the circumstances. 95% of the time they would bounce back up and keep playing. On this one occasion I was playing on the floor with my second nephew he suddenly stopped what he was doing and said “Ouch!” and pointed to his knee. I kissed it better and looked to him for confirmation that all was better now. I did not see what had caused the pain yet kisses are cheap and I was willing to give him one for his comfort. Upon my inspection his little eyes did not show his usual assurance instead he pointed to his other knee saying “Ouch”, I kissed the other knee at which point he pointed to his elbow saying “Ouch”, again, once again I kissed where he pointed. He continued pointing to almost every part of his body saying “Ouch”, followed by a kiss from me. We repeated this until he was done. Having completed what he needed he went on playing as before. I am not exactly sure what was taking place in this sweet little boys head, yet if I had to guess I would say that at that moment for some  reason or another he needed more reassurance of me or from me that I loved him or maybe he just need that affectionate physical touch. That we all needed at times, even as adults.  

Time Stands Still

There was a short time a few years back that I was running a small family preschool/daycare. In a small family business so moms could do a little work to supplement their income. I would watch and teach their children for a few hours. A child of any age was welcome. I truly enjoyed this time with this family and their children. There was a baby in the preschool with me and she was getting very tired, I knew it was time to see if she would go down for a nap. Having settled the other children down, they did not need my full attention I turn to this baby wrapping her in her blanket with her pacifier. I started to rocker her while walking through the room after some time she had indeed fallen asleep.  The other children were quietly playing together and as I looked down as the small child in my arms time stood still and feelings of peace and joy coming to me. My thoughts began to turn to my future and I realized that this was a moment that I would love to have with my own future family. One of those idyllic moments when all is well, a heaven on earth moment. At the time how ever I did not recognize it for what it was, I merely saw it as a sad thing that this was not really my own family around me. A sadness and questions about why it was that I was still single, when I had all the right desires. To say the least it was a bittersweet moment, yet for a long time I focused only on the bitter.

Looking back on it now I understand the purpose to this moment, much better. This was one of my earliest Mommy Moments.  A gift from my Father in Heaven to experience one of those powerful joy filled fleeting moments I guess other mothers feel at times. Moments when you are rewarded as a mother for all the hard work that you put into the raising of children all feels perfect - complete and happy - even able to glimpse the eternities and the promised blessings for just a moment.  Then all goes back to normal, yet we must hold on to those fleeting moments and treasure them in our hearts and ponder on them. Like that of Mary of old, in the Bible,”But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart” Luke 2:19.

Innocence

Over the summer I taught a little girl that gave me a little surprise. Just a reminder that children will always be there to teach and surprise us. Even when you think we've got them all figured out.  With that introduction this is what took place.

She came to class dressed with a shirt and skirt, I did not give this much thought until we went into circle time. The technique part of class where we work on fine motor skills and  strength. For a good portion on this we are sitting on the floor. After some time I noticed that she was not following along, just sitting there with her legs tightly closed. I went and talked to her and soon discovered that she was worried about showing her panties to the class which I thought was mature of her at her age; most girls 3 or 4 years don’t even think about this. So after class I talked to her parents about putting little shorts or leggings on her so she would feel comfortable doing the class. The next week she came into class and she was wearing pants under her skirt so I thought all was well. However  circle time came again and the same thing took place she sat there with her legs closely pressed together. Once again I went and quietly talked to her about what she was feeling. She still felt uncomfortable, so I showed her the other  girls in the class and how they were wearing something under their skirts and how they were all covered up and still could dance and have fun. This did the trick she then was able to participate and she really started to enjoy herself. Through her comfort and enjoyment her abilities in dance grew over the remainder of the classes.

In His Daddy’s Shoes

I was visiting a dear friend of mine the other day she has a little boy almost 2 years old. While I was there he went over to the entry way where all the shoes had been placed upon entrance. This little boy proceeded to step into his Daddy’s shoes, which in and of itself look very cute and got some sighs out of myself and his Mom. However he didn’t stop here, he squatted down and with great concentration he began to play with the laces on the shoes. He had such a face full of concentration and determination to learn. It simply made my heart brim with pride for how smart this little boy is and going to be.  Yeah I had only  met him that day yet having the close relationship with my friend I guess helped me feel proud for her and the way she was raising her son. I am grateful for that chance.

For children playing is there way of learning this little boy was such a perfect example he was playing with his Daddy’s shoes yet you could literally see the knowledge he was learning moving into his head.

Little Knight Out

On a certain Friday night. I went on a little date with a little knight. I picked him up after work. We shared a “Happy Meal” and let our inner child out by playing in a magical place of plastic. He impressed me with his agility by climbing up a course, strength by swinging on poles and critical thinking as he figured out how to operate a magical keyboard. From there we went over to my friends house and my little knight saved the day by helping me wash my car. Soaking the whole thing and managed to get soaked as well. Yet he didn’t stop there the evening could not be complete if he were the only one soaked so he shared the wealth with me and my friend.  He was super sweet the whole evening holding my hand and with a mighty effort tried to open the door for me, showing me that indeed chivalry is not dead; just in practice. We drove off into the sunset and I got him home just a little past his curfew.

Taking the time to have one on one time with my nephew was a blast and very worth it. I need to do this more and with my other nephews. It helps me get to know just him and how he interact with me by himself without his brothers. So here is a challenge to you and me: find a child to have an adventure with weather its a princess in a castle or a knight showing off his might. You just might have some fun too!

Words Fail...Hug!

Through my time teaching there is one little girl that I have worked with through many different interactions. She has developmental challenges, she was born with. The details of which I don't know. I simply understood that she needed extra help. I and the other teachers that worked with her had to help her constantly with the most basic of instructions, sit, stand, be still and so on. Working with her was a lot of hard work and patience on everyone's part, not excluding the dancer’s work as well. She would wander off in the middle of just about anything we would be doing in class in her own little world. The best way to bring her back to what the class was doing would be to allow her to complete what ever task she had in mind to do. For example touching a spot on the wall or floor. Once complete she would willingly follow you back to the class. I tried to always be loving and patient with her and help her learn what she could. After that year of working with her she moved on to other classes. Now and then I would sub for her class and then one year I taught the class before her’s. Every time I saw her she would get so excited to see me she would wave her arms around and make happy noises with a large bright smile on her face. I would give her a hug. In fact it became one of her missions to give me a hug almost each week before she would participate in her own class.  There was so much love in those hugs, the best way she knew how to communicate. Whenever I see her and she recognizes me I get one of those hugs. They make my day and I look forward to them.

She seemed to learn a little more dance after teaching her that first year and I am sure the other teachers could say the same in the following years. She learned to love to dance which in the end is one gift I truly wish to give any child willing to receive it no matter how good they become. However I feel as though I have learn and been given more from her. That being able to see her example of love and goodness to another soul and being a recipient of it.

Blue Eyes to Hold the World

This summer my nephews took swimming lessons, the two older boys had lessons at the same time and their Mom need to be with the one year old.  Leaving me to watch the baby for the half hour the lesson took.  During these times it may have appeared that I was having a one sided conversation with a baby, my youngest nephew.  If I was lucky I could get a chooo out of him, most of the time however it was simply his big eyes taking in as much of the world around him as he could manage.  This seems to be the truth of many infants. They don’t have much to say or rather they can’t say anything but if they did, oh the things they could teach us. They see and listen to all around them. His big blue eyes trying to see it all not satisfied with laying down in one spot but having me walk around holding him upright for the purpose of better seeing. Learning all he could through his eyes. If only I could see what it was that he was seeing then I too could hold the whole world in my eyes.