curious
Good, unrestrained, imaginative curiosity is probably the trait I cherish most in my small people.
I love bugs in the bug catcher and escapee snails on the stairs.
I love the little finger in the cocoa powder and the little hands which will only be satisfied playing the entire eighty-eight piano keys one after the other. donk. donk. donk. down the scales.
I love 'indoor' curiosity. The kind that finds small people peering at the world map on the wall. Looking through books. Checking out bugs under magnification.
And shells. And fingernails.
And I love 'outdoor' curiosity.
The kind that leads children to dig into the ground and climb trees.
I won't care if my children aren't amazing academically, or sparklingly social, or astoundingly commercially successful. These things aren't important to me.
But I will feel like a failure as a mother if they have no sense of curiosity.
And, er, if they can't cook a whisker.
And perhaps if they eat a lot of hamburgers.
You? What matters to you?
xxx
Hear Mum Roar
October 11, 2010 at 10:54 pmThat is so true! My two little ones had a lovely dig outside with some tennis rackets:) I think if a person is naturally curious, they’ll be set for life anyway.
Sue
October 12, 2010 at 12:10 amYes, curiosity, and with it the confidence to know that they can figure it out (learn about it/master the skill/whatever) if they want to.
And to shut up and go to sleep when Mummy says it’s nap time. But that’s more of an immediate desire.
Medifast Coupon Code
October 12, 2010 at 2:16 amLetting kids be kids is a very important lesson for any parent. Away from the television! Enjoying the great outdoors and discovering all that our great planet has to offer us for today and for always.
International Pollyanna of Mystery
October 12, 2010 at 3:06 amFor me, it is the ability to be glad. Yes, I mean that in the Pollyanna sense. It’s the ability to see the good or hope or happiness in any situation. It’s the key to contentment.
Also, I wish for them to be kind; to me, to each other, to their neighbour, to the planet.
Yep, gladness and kindness rate higher than any other trait for me.
Rachel @ Suburban Yogini
October 12, 2010 at 3:46 amCooking and questioning. These are the two things my mother gave me, and I am more grateful for that than the academic brainiac side of me for sure 🙂
I agree about kindness as well, kindness to all other living beings, no matter what.
Amy
October 12, 2010 at 8:30 amThis is awesome! It is so nice to see kids playing outside and getting dirty. What a great mom!
bennoss
October 12, 2010 at 9:15 amgreat post fi.
what matters to me in my kids is happines and a good healthy sense of humour!
Bennoss
innerpickle
October 12, 2010 at 9:37 amHear hear. Or is that here here. Gladness & kindness make curiosity seem a little self-centred. Love you, Pollyanna xx
innerpickle
October 12, 2010 at 9:41 amOh yes. Without a sense of humour small Walmsley people get traded in. xx
Lucie
October 12, 2010 at 9:52 ammine is imagination, i’ll forgive anything where imagination is involved – we have whole conversations in gibberish or pussy cat which i adore
SB
October 13, 2010 at 2:27 pmWisdom and compassion.
And by wisdom I don’t mean the academic knowledge kind of thing… I’m hoping for the Biblical type.
Tricia
October 13, 2010 at 11:25 pmCouldn’t agree more.
🙂
Heather
October 17, 2010 at 9:16 pmLook at those beautiful trees. I love what you have written here. I feel the same about my kids. It does’t matter to me if they don’t know all their sight words by the end of kinder of if they are not acadamic geniouses. For me I value my kids being kids for as long as possible, using their imagination and also kindness.