Wednesday, December 29, 2010

The Wisdom of Children

Guess what?

No. I didn't win the lottery. No. I'm not going on an all-expense paid trip to Hawaii.  Better. Really. I mean, if I won the lottery or went to Hawaii that really wouldn't benefit you, but this, this will be a treat.

I have a guest blogger today.

Peryl, the amazing author of Parenting Ad Absurdum is visiting from Seattle. I adore her blog. She's fun, funny, witty and clever. (And she's someone with whom I'd want to go to Vegas.) She's on my must-read list and, I'm sure, she'll be on yours.

While I wish I could welcome her with a warm California day, I'm afraid it's raining cats and dogs out there. So...since the day is cold and blustery, let's send a little Mandyland warmth her way...

The Wisdom of Children


I'm not a big fan of articles with titles like "everything I need to know I learned in pre-school" – lessons like sharing your toys and not eating paste are important, but there's an awful lot of things I learned later on, like how to drive, or how to operate a child-proof cap on a prescription bottle, that are integral to my adult life. Still, as much as I am skeptical about the wisdom of my two- and four-year old sons – children who lick themselves in the mirror are not prepared for life on the outside (are mine the only ones that do this? Seriously, it's weird) – I find that they do teach me some pretty important stuff, such as:

If you feel good, you look good: My four year-old regularly accessorizes his pajamas with rain boots, a cowboy hat, and his super-hero cape, looks in the mirror and says "I look FANTASTIC," and heads out the door. And you know what? He does look fantastic.

Any time can be quality time: When asked if he needed help in the bathroom, my four-year old said to his father, "yes please Daddy, because I don't get to spend enough time pooping with you." On the other hand:

Everybody needs a little time away: My two-year old has taken to putting his hand up and saying sternly "Go away Mommy, don't bodder me," when he's – you know. Do I write about poop too much? I have to admit, it will happen again.

Sweetness gets you everywhere: Both children regularly comment on what a good job I do cleaning the house (their judgment is clearly marginal) on arriving home from day care. Even if I've been grumbling all day about my family's untidy habits, hearing "Mommy, you cleaned this all by yourself??" makes me smile.

Remember to be thoughtful: When I described the vivid shade of green that my two-year old's poop (see?) had been that morning, my four-year old chided me, saying "Mommy, it would have been nice if you took a picture so the rest of us could have seen it."

Really, though, kids have a wonderful ability to find joy and amazement under every rock – oh, but I wish they'd stop finding those worms – and they appreciate life each moment they live it. I do feel very grateful that I have them around to teach me how to do that again.

4 comments:

Mommy Crib Notes said...

I love this post Peryl! My two-year-old thinks she's Miss Thang when wearing sparkly flip-flops and a headband - nothing else, not even a diaper. And I have seen the bright green poop and it is a wonder. Like, I'm still wondering what caused it.

Dawn said...

Appreciating life, every moment I live it is going to be my New Year's resolution this year. Kids are so funny, and so is Peryl. I loved this.

Parentingadabsurdum said...

Thanks Dawn! Yes, that is an excellent, excellent resolution. I'm working on it too.

Parentingadabsurdum said...

I know! I was told blueberries, but I'm pretty certain he hadn't eaten any fruit for days (cause that's my boy).