Helping Them Grow Up

I have no children of my own, but I enjoy spending time with the kids of friends, playing with them, teaching them, having fun with them, and at times helping their parents to keep them well-behaved. Like today, when we – adults and children alike – were at a conference of 1.5 hrs. I sat with a French family I’m friends with. I soon negotiated the exchange of crayons and sketch paper between two of the four siblings. I gave a German Search Waldo book to the youngest to keep her entertained and later started sketching with her. That’s when the two year old of another couple demanded to come sit with me and eat his crackers on my lap. After a while the mother of two older children I know well in the row behind me leaned forward and whispered with a big smile: “Do you want to take one of mine on your lap? Maybe then they’ll be more quiet!”

I am a Super-Mom without even being a mom at all, and yes, I have my stressful moments with them after which I am delighted to hand them over to their respective parents! 🙂 But I enjoy children. I do my best to be on eye level with them as I consider them simply younger not “dumber” than me and I take them seriously. Which also means I let them know when something they do is not o.k. explaining them why. I just love how they see life, their innocence and joy, but most of all I enjoy the love and trust they have for me and I for them.

And it makes me feel honoured when the above mentioned two year old who hurt himself running towards me is being calmed down by me with soothing words and a wet towel he can suck on to cool his bruised lip and than stills keeps on sitting on my hip even when his mom is standing right beside me. Or when a five year old that used to live door to door with me until half a year ago can’t wait to come sit on my lap to show me that she’s missing a tooth while asking me with this cheeky smile on her face why I didn’t bring her a surprise today.

It makes me feel honoured to be a part of the lives of those beloved little ones and their parents, contributing to their well being and helping them grow up.