A Warm Welcome to the World

 

Graphic courtesy of Worlde.

On my Facebook page this morning, I read the following welcome announcement from a friend of mine (a teacher) on the birth of her nephew:

 

I would like to welcome to the world my BEAUTIFUL BABY NEPHEW (Mashallah)! I'm so thrilled you got here safe and sound, even though you're a little early. I can’t wait to see you and hold you and tell you I love you. As your aunty I will try to help you in any way I can, I promise to protect you, care for you, sneak you treats, encourage you and tell you that you’re the most amazing person in the world and that you can do anything or be anything you want to be...a rocket scientist! An athlete! Or even a teacher! Again welcome to this crazy, whacky, amazing world!!

I was inspired to share this welcome message (with permission) for a number of reasons:

When you read or hear stuff like this, it gives you reassurance about the potential of goodness in humanity: the media is full of all the badness that we are capable of but rarely shares the good news, usually because it's low profile and it's tucked away out of sight - and, therefore, out of mind.

What if we all went around affirming each other like this? Especially new arrivals and young earthlings. Just a basic gesture of appreciation (a smile is a good start) makes all the difference.

This is such a wonderful demonstration of altruism: it's totally about celebrating another life - in this case, welcoming a new one. How often I am so pre-occupied with my own life, I forget to notice another's - and miss out on something priceless.

And, finally, it's just plain, simple and fun: why do we complicate our lives and worry about what other people think? Why does everything have to be so polished, so pristine, so perfect, so pretencious? Just do it because it's the right thing to do and stop worrying about what other people are thinking of you (because, in almost all instances, they're probably not).

The above welcome quotation is, I'm glad to say, typical of the friend in question. It is sheer lyrical beauty - an expression of what it should be to be human.

Go and write something beautiful for someone today!

Three Nights in a Tent in the Middle of October...?

Graphic courtesy of Wordle.

 

For weeks now, my two kids (age 10 and 13) and their friend from round the corner have been planning their first camp - on their own. To start with, it was hugely ambitious: three nights in a tent in the middle of an autumnal October. Nevertheless, their enthusiasm was infectious: notes, lists, texts and endless discussions between them demonstrated their commitment to this adventure.

Naturally, parents were consulted and had to provide the necessary cautionary advice.

Finally, the day has come, bags have been packed and the intrepid, over-excited trio have launched out on their endeavour - an over-night stay in the caravan in the back garden of the friend-round-the-corner's house.

I hear you laugh and I, too, have laughed - with a laughter gained from the pleasure of observing their accomplishments, their shared enthusiasm, their planning and the ultimate prize: they did it themselves.

I learned much from my observations:

Motivation is a powerful thing. Motivation drove my kids and their friend to work meticulously in planning and organising their trip. They did things of their own volition (such as getting equipment ready and packing bags) that require a superhuman effort on other occasions such as getting ready for a normal school day.

Teamwork overcomes personality differences. My two kids get on pretty well with each other but their are always differences of opinion - naturally. Somehow, these didn't seem to matter, or even surface, on this occasion. The goal was too important, the stakes too high, to let personalities interfere.

A changed plan is still a good plan. Albeit worthy, the original plan was ambitious. Over time, and with adult consultation, the kids realised that their plans needed some rationalisation, but it didn't change the intention or the purpose - or dampen their enthusiasm. The goal remained secure.

Children need validation. If we, as parents, had poo-pooed their ideas, the project would never have got off the ground and the kids may never have attempted anything quite like it again. It was really important that we encouraged their ideas, even the outlandish and unrealistic ones - 'three nights in a tent... in OCTOBER...?' What actually happened, almost by default, is that the children worked out or found out for themselves what worked and what didn't work and rationalised their plans themselves - with a little consultation from others (us adults) with more experience. Our kids were not disappointed - they just saw the rationale and made sense of it for themselves.

As I write, they are living their adventure and, tomorrow evening, we will hear a full recount - and probably learn a good deal more.

If you have learned similar lessons from your own child/ren's adventures, please leave a comment...