Remember What it was Like To Be a Child?
Tara Paterson
July 03, 2007
Do you remember what it was like to be wonderfully excited about birthdays; Santa Claus; the Easter Bunny; vacations; going to the amusement park in the summer; going swimming in your neighbors pool; the Zoo….? I’m sure most of us still get excited about some of these things, but I mean the excitement where you asked your mom every couple of hours-how many days until Christmas or how many minutes before everyone gets here?
I remember standing at my parents’ picture window waiting for all of my relatives to arrive for my birthday party every year. I would count the minutes and revel in that excited feeling when the first car arrived. The anticipation for a young child was almost too much to bear, but what a memory. The older we get, we realize- the more time we have to accomplish tasks- the better. We have so much to do!
As a parent, the challenge is finding ways to help our kids maintain that excitement for life without stifling it, but helping them contain the enthusiasm when it’s necessary. Equally, it is important to take a trip down memory lane and remind ourselves what it was like to get so excited about the littlest things… “the one important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one’s work seriously and taking one’s self seriously. The first is imperative and the second is disastrous.” –Margot Fonteyn
Reminding ourselves about what it felt like to have that new found zest for life, may help us with patience when we are asked for the 100th time- are we almost there yet or when can I open my presents? It may also explain the comment on your child’s report card- talkative during class or needs to learn self control.
Let’s hope it reminds us of a time when we were free to imagine ourselves as whomever we wanted to be- without the stress and pressure to perform as a- mom; wife; PTA member; housecleaner; employee; party planner; Mrs. Claus and all of the elves; accountant; dishwasher (did you ever imagine yourself performing that low paying job after the age of 16? :o); or whatever other hat design you wear.
“Man, unlike the animal, has never learned that the sole purpose of life is to enjoy it.” –Samuel Butler
Take a minute and think about your upcoming vacation, feel the excitement!
2004- 2007 by Tara Paterson, All Rights Reserved
I remember standing at my parents’ picture window waiting for all of my relatives to arrive for my birthday party every year. I would count the minutes and revel in that excited feeling when the first car arrived. The anticipation for a young child was almost too much to bear, but what a memory. The older we get, we realize- the more time we have to accomplish tasks- the better. We have so much to do!
As a parent, the challenge is finding ways to help our kids maintain that excitement for life without stifling it, but helping them contain the enthusiasm when it’s necessary. Equally, it is important to take a trip down memory lane and remind ourselves what it was like to get so excited about the littlest things… “the one important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one’s work seriously and taking one’s self seriously. The first is imperative and the second is disastrous.” –Margot Fonteyn
Reminding ourselves about what it felt like to have that new found zest for life, may help us with patience when we are asked for the 100th time- are we almost there yet or when can I open my presents? It may also explain the comment on your child’s report card- talkative during class or needs to learn self control.
Let’s hope it reminds us of a time when we were free to imagine ourselves as whomever we wanted to be- without the stress and pressure to perform as a- mom; wife; PTA member; housecleaner; employee; party planner; Mrs. Claus and all of the elves; accountant; dishwasher (did you ever imagine yourself performing that low paying job after the age of 16? :o); or whatever other hat design you wear.
“Man, unlike the animal, has never learned that the sole purpose of life is to enjoy it.” –Samuel Butler
Take a minute and think about your upcoming vacation, feel the excitement!
2004- 2007 by Tara Paterson, All Rights Reserved
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