It brings me so much happiness to learn more about who my children are…
It shouldn’t be a surprise, given how long I’ve been working with young children, but the depth of our conversation nevertheless astounds me. Our topics of conversation are both profound (death, God, love) and mundane (new vocabulary, upcoming events, the contents of our lunch boxes). We talk about highlights of our days, as well as the challenges. They ask about our country’s new President, about his ideas, and the implications of his being in office. We make plans for tomorrow, and we make plans for twenty years from now. It brings me so much happiness to learn more about who my children are, and it is an exercise in reflection for me when I need to express my ideas and feelings (about big themes, sometimes!) in developmentally appropriate ways.
There are so many aspects of parenthood that aren’t what I expected. I’m still learning, every day, to let go of those expectations. Because, when I do, I am surprised by the most precious of gifts where I wouldn’t have otherwise looked.
Like the car. The messy, crumb-y, dented, wonderful car.
Originally published on Dirt and Bricks. Adrienne Mead is an early childhood educator who is passionate about her work. Other passions include: Time with her family, coffee, writing, chocolate, and dabbling in crafting.
