Enthusiasm

Yesterday I accompanied my daughter who was joining a coloring competition, held in a mall. A lot of parents were there to support their kids; some gave target for their kids to win, some gave support for their kids to learn to compete no matter what the result is, some were merely just for fun. Majority were enthusiastic parents.

Sometimes I wonder, are we able to maintain such kind of enthusiasm to support them throughout their life as they grow older and older? Lots of us tend to start judging once our kids begin to have their own opinion, stand on their opinion, learn to decide, develop their ability to argue. The problem appears when our kids grow but we, parents, don’t. Why? Because consciously or unconsciously, we can’t accept their growth that we consider their ideas, opinions, critics, arguments as forms of kids disobeying parents. While in fact, this is a health sign that our kids are growing, not only their physic but also their mind, their view, their soul.

Won’t it be wiser for us to have the same hope we used to have when they were still little kids? Won’t it be more fun to have the same enthusiasm for them as we had and we showed when they were still little ones?

Here is a very nice poem from Diane Loomans:

IF I HAD MY CHILD TO RAISE OVER AGAIN

If I had my child to raise all over again,

I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.

I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.

I would do less correcting and more connecting.

I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.

I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.

I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.

I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.

I'd do more hugging and less tugging.