Dedication

This blog is dedicated to all the children who need someone to listen when they speak.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Old Ant Farm????

Years ago my friend said her preschool daughter asked to sing the song about the ant farm. When she told her she didn't know that song her daughter was frustrated and said, "Yes, you do...you know, Lord take me back to that old ant farm." My friend realized she was singing part of song from church. The Old Landmark. The words say, "Lord, take me back to that old landmark."

While the rest of us were singing for God to take us back to the cross and to make a fresh start. My friend's young daughter was thinking we were all singing about going back to an ant farm. Only in the world of a child would this be possible and desirable!

Monday, January 23, 2012

It's so easy to be bad...

The work at a daycare can be challenging at times when you have little boys who are busy!!! One little fella was always doing things that he wasn't supposed to do. We tried several different things to keep him occupied but he always seemed to come up with a way to get into trouble. Truth be told, our daycare was not a good placement for him but at the time I didn't really know how to talk to a parent about things like that. SO every day was stressful for him.

We were outside on the playground after a very high tension morning and he was on a riding toy that was mounted to a large spring. It would sway back and forth as the children rode it. He was leaning back and forth as hard has he could! He said,"Miss Jill it is so HARD to be good and so easy to be bad!" Bless his heart. So true! Not just for him but for all of us at times!(By the way, he grew up into a very sweet young man and did very well in school but those early years were difficult for all of us!)

Monday, January 16, 2012

Do you have powdered sugar on your face?

As all mothers know, getting out of the house with everyone clean and ready can be a chore some days. I had both girls ready and went to brush my teeth. When I returned my preschooler had powdered sugar all over her face and was sitting in a chair at the kitchen table smiling sweetly. The donut box was sitting on the table and no powdered sugar was anywhere on the table. I asked her if she had eaten a donut and she said, "No, see my hands are clean." She held up her hands and showed me that they were spotless. I asked her again and she gave me the same answer adding that the table was clean also. Looking at that sweet little face covered in powdered sugar let me know that even the sweetest child can tell you what they want you to hear! I picked her up and took her to the bathroom where I held her up to look in the mirror. I didn't say a word. Smiling she turned to look in the mirror and saw where she had forgotten to wipe! Tears immediately began to fall as she said, "Don't pank me, don't pank me!" I have always wondered what the world would look like if all of our temptations would be covered with powdered sugar.

Speaking of listening...

How many of us tell our children something over and over expecting that sooner or later they will listen? Yeah, sure they will. On one day my daughter was playing in another room and I called to her to come and pick up some toys in the living room. No answer. The house was quiet and she was not six feet away in her bedroom. When I called again, a bit louder, telling her to "COME get your toys!" She replied in a VERY indignant voice, "I didn't hear you the first time!"

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Magical Snow~versus~Yucky Rain

Years ago my oldest daughter was looking out a window and watching the rain fall for yet another dreary day. Not only were her and her sister stuck in the house but they had been hoping for some snow. The rain kept falling and she sighed a heavy sigh. Leaning down on the windowsill she recited her own version of the little rhyme...Rain, Rain, go away come again another WAY!

Sunday, January 8, 2012

He hits me back!

Children's honesty and innocence is refreshing and revealing! When working with a little guy recently he told me about his bad day. It seems he had ran into another little boy and knocked him to the ground. Then he said the other little guy had "made a big deal about it!" He said the teacher told him to watch where he was going. That didn't go over very well because he felt he had done nothing wrong. "Everyone forgets to watch where they are going sometimes!"

Then he explained to me that he didn't like the other boy anyway. "Why not?" I asked. "Because he hits me back!" How revealing. We all laugh at this little remark but aren't we all like that at times in our lives. We knock someone down with our words, then they "make a big deal about it", we don't apologize, they comment back to us and others and then we are angry because "He (or she) hit us back!"

When I asked him if he had said he was sorry his beautiful brown eyes got big and he told me no. I said maybe next time he should just say sorry. Hopefully I will remember to take my own advice in the future.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Just like an elephant's tail!

Year's ago while working at a local preschool/daycare I had one little guy who absolutely LOVED animals. He knew more about animals as a preschooler than most of us will ever know. So it is in this context that I relate this story!

I wear my hair in a braid that hangs down my back most days and on this particular day he was sitting beside me outside on a bench during playtime. He had been discussing animals with me and all of the sudden turned to look at me with a big smile on his face. He reached up and touched my braid and said, "I just love your hair. It looks just like an elephant's tail." I told him thank you and just took that compliment in the spirit in which it was given!

Friday, January 6, 2012

Yes, Him can!

Getting my grandson to bed can be a challenge to say the least. But one night we were finally cuddled up and he was ready for his story. I told him about God creating the world. "Did Him make this house?" he asked. I told him no but God did create people and people built the house. "Him make all the people?" Yes, I told him. With a voice filled with wonder he said, "Line them up. I can't count them." No we can't count them but God can I told him. In a sleepy and satistified voice he said, "Yes, Him can." With that he fell asleep. I guess if God made us all and He can count us all then maybe we should just relax and let Him take care of the world while we sleep.

Aunt Sisters?

My granddaughter had been interested in Native Americans for awhile. Every Sunday on the way to church we would have a BIG discussion of our ancestors, some of which were Native Americans. I had explained to her how our ancestors help make us who we are now. Our heritage is important and we should honor family. She asked me several questions one morning and I had grown weary of answering them so my mind had went into autopilot with my comments back to her. My brain jerked back to our conversation when she asked the question! "Mamaw, how are they our Aunt Sisters?"