”I want to be a kid forever.”
“I want to be a grownup forever.”
Coming home from church on Sunday, something spurred these comments from my kids (I don’t remeber what!).
The first is from my 7-year-old son. He loves to play Legos, watch movies and challenge any friend to a Wii game.
The second came from my 4-year-old daughter. She loves to play dress up, says she’s going to be a “princess” when she grows up, and asks - no demands - lipstick and nail polish.
I laughed when I heard their comments, but I admit, they were not unexpected.
My son is a free thinker. He is very happy-go-lucky and go-with-the flow. I told his new teacher just as much in a letter, to be honest as somewhat of a warning.
My daughter, on the other hand, has to have everything in order. Her dress up clothes are in specific bins under her bed. She precisely picks out her outfit in the evening - then changes her mind in the morning.
Her friends are her whole world.
I hope I can scrapbook these comments and a bit about them sometime in the future - if only so they can look back and see what they thought life would be like for them.
I hope they both take on a bit of each other’s thinking: that my son would find there is value in hard work and hard play and that my daughter will find sometimes it’s fun to play a princess, even as a grown up.
I don’t schedule playtime. I try to let it happen. Sometimes that means - in our busy lives - that I pick up more of the load at home. They still have chores to do and we are active - with gymnastics right now and soccer coming in the fall - but I relish the moments when we come home at the end of the day, complete homework and just “be” before reading books and going to bed.
I’m looking forward to the cool evenings when all the neighborhood kids come out and join at the playground.
Lately, I’ve found myself trying to do whatever I can do to help them hold onto their childhood and make it as carefree as possible.

Posted in: Blogroll • Michelle Reese • Being a mom • Fun with the kids • home time |

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