Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Raising Beautiful Children

“If there is anything that we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves.” - C.G. Jung

I have a t-shirt that says "We must be what we want our children to be." or something like that...I'd have to go in the laundry basket to quote it perfectly. Whenever I wear it I do so knowing how hard it is to believe it, act it and evangelize it! I always get a comment, a groan "Oh, that's a tall order." Or "We could never do that!"

Ghandi said "We must be the change we wish to see."

The day I do it perfectly is the day I achieve immortality! HA!!

But we continue to strive, grow, stumble, fall two (or more) steps backwards, and remind each other to keep trying, not to give up. It's worth the effort because it really will pay off in your relationship with your children. It's very worth it.

Teaching Kindermusik keeps this out front for me. I offer parents ways to be with their little ones with tools for careful observations, positive communications, nurturing creativity, deliberate guiding, and loving interactions. And everyday I go home and try to hone my own parenting skills, to do my practicum.

Keep in mind that I'm one step ahead! I'm trying to apply this to teenagers...and beyond! So far I'll say investing the time, energy, grace and creativity with your infants, toddlers and preschoolers is worth every bit of effort.

Did you know Kindermusik is a lot about parenting?

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Just the kind of encouragement we parents need! Humility goes along way in conscientious parenting. Thanks for your honesty.
Carol

Singandtwirl said...

Hi Carol, is that you? :-)

Unknown said...

Yes, it's me. I just finished reading The Last Child in the Woods. Thanks for recommending it. Imagine! Rousseau came to the same conclusion- how much more urgent for today's child.
Blessings, Carol