A new year and new possibilities. Simply being aware of how much we influence what is possible can make all the difference--especially when it comes to children.
Let's imagine what could be happening to individual little children around the world over the next 15 minutes. Let's allow a range of unfolding scenarios to drift in and out of our thoughts.
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It becomes clear that the time is the only similarity. Even if two children are sitting in the lap of loving parents, perhaps even reading the same book in different parts of the world, the quality of experience will be determined less by the child than by the adult caring for the child during that time. Children bring many things to every experience but how adults engage or fail to do so determines the outcome.
It is not possible to be fully present all the time we are with our children--nor is it necessary. Children need some time to explore and play on their own. But they also benefit greatly from those 15 minute or longer units of time when the adult with them is fully engaged in the relationship they are creating through their life together. And the best part is those times of rich sharing between parent and child grow exponentially into the essence of what it is to be human.
Copyright
© Nancy Tracey 2014
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