Discovering a magical world
December 21st, 2009 § 3 Comments
When you have a child the whole focus is on how you as a parent are meant to educate and enrich their life. It seems the relationship works only one way-you are the sage, they are the novice. But in actual fact the relationship is fluid. There is so much a child can teach you. My baby girl is nearly one year-her first birthday is next week. Every night before she goes to bed I read her book. We recently bought the whole collection of Dr Seuss books and it is as if a whole new world has opened up for me.
I read her Green Eggs and Ham last night. My husband heard me reading it and he came and we read it together, alternating a few pages at a time. We started acting out the book and she giggled and we laughed and it was one of the best moments of my life. It was the first time I read this book. I’d heard about Dr Seuss, I’d heard about Green Eggs and Ham, but I’d never read it.
As a child of migrant parents I didn’t have access to this world I am now discovering for the first time with my baby. A world of story books, of nursery rhymes, of silly games. My mother bought us Golden Books, but it was only when I learnt to read at school that I could get into this world. I remember making up stories to go along with the pictures before I went to school and how in some ways when I learnt to read I lost this ability to tell stories.
While she is the child and I am the parent I feel like I’m rediscovering my childhood in some ways. The childhood I never had. When I think about the future and how I want to bring up my daughter I think of teddy bear picnics, cubby houses, doll houses, doing Playschool craft assignments. All the things I dreamt about doing as a child, but never got to experience.
But this relationship is a two-pronged sword. I have to be careful not to live out my fantasies on her. To burden her with my unfulfilled desires. I have to let her be the child she is and have the childhood she’s supposed to. But I will enjoy it. I will enjoy playing with my little buddy and giving the child within me the chance to play and be carefree in a way I never was.
Dr Seuss is amazing! My favourite is ‘Oh, the places you’ll go!’ Little Miss P also loves anything ‘Hairy Maclary’. It’s the rhythmic verse I think. I also want this kind of magical childhood for our little one. Looking forward to teddy bear picnics and craft projects together
Yes, we do learn from kids, don’t we? I’ve come to realize how much I must have frustrated my own mother as a child. And I’ve rediscovered the love of some things I’d long forgotten.
But I do have to remember not to foist my dreams on the kids and let them be themselves.
Jodi-I have to say we love the Lynley Dodd books too, but have been reading them for a few months now and glad to have the change with Dr Seuss.
Sandra-I can so relate to the frustration part too. She’s teething at the moment and even though I know she’s not okay, the whinginess after a while really grates on my nerves.