Affirmations:
I speak with respect and kindness to everyone, young and old.
I honor children as I honor myself.
My example is my best teaching.
I pay attention, show up and speak the highest truth I know.
(Being apparent with ten year old girls the last four days!
Showing
up for all our children and grandchildren)
Living
Well with Children
Do
you understand what it means to be there as “a parent”?
Do you get what
it feels like to be a child?
Are you even
vaguely aware of what this world seems to be?
Do you listen to
what children say and want you to know?
When
you come into a new place, you want to feel safe and secure.
You want to know the
rules or limits so you can fit in and feel cared for.
You want to feel
able to express yourself and what you need.
You want to know
there will be food, a bed and bathroom and someone to be there for us.
This
is true for young and old, rich and poor, informed and uninformed.
All of us have a
need for the basics to develop in a healthy way.
Yet, we neglect and
deny many of these to our children and youth and elders.
Stop and recognize
what you need when you are in a new environment.
Let’s
give our infants, toddlers, children and youth the basics.
Access to healthy
food and clean water when they are hungry.
Safe place to rest
and sleep in quiet.
Water & bathroom
to stay clean and dry.
Children
need attention and someone to listen to them.
They need
opportunities to explore and experiment.
They need ways to be
creative without judgment.
They need places to
be quiet and noisy, active and passive.
Why do we forget to give them what we want?
Why do we so
often treat kids like pets instead of people?
Why have we
relegated children and elders to second class?
It is time we
treat them like guests, customers and invest our best.
When
we talk with our children, they talk with us.
When we tell or
demand of our children, they talk back and demand of their adults.
When we listen to
and honor their request, they listen and honor our requests.
They seek to be
treated with respect, trust and appreciation, just like we do.
Set
simple basic rules of etiquette for all members of your household.
These are mine,
Choose your own.
1) Yelling & rough housing belong outside.
2) Everyone cleans up after themselves in all common areas.
3) No hurting of self, others or the space.
4) Everyone helps.
What
if we all simply “Treat others as we want to be treated.”
Loving always,
Betty Lue