Food for thought:
“Somehow, in our hurry to steer our children toward accomplishment and independence, we seem to have forgotten what childhood is all about. Preoccupied with managing their lives, and our own, it is so easy to lose sight of our children–their tenderness and innocence, their joyousness, their capacity for wonder, their hunger for enchantment. A touch of magic can reawaken the childlike spirit in all of us, allowing us to revisit, for a time, the secret realm of childhood.” –page 119
Almost 20 years ago, when she was about 6 or 7, my daughter stopped me in the middle of the sidewalk (we lived in Paris at the time, and walked everywhere) in between swimming lessons and dance lessons and said…"mom, just so you know, I am not one of those kids who can go from one thing to another to another. I need down time. Just so you know." Boy – did she say a mouthful that day! I LOVE THIS QUOTE!!! And having a 22 and 26 y/o, I can tell you, that childhood – true, lovely, innocent, carefree childhood is very short. And I'm a big fan of letting them wander through in at their pace for as long as we can help make it last for them…