Through Grandma’s Eyes: Letting Children Be.

“Don’t smother each other.  No one can grow in the shade.”

– Leo  Buscaglia –

journal entry:

I am a happy grandmother when it comes to the parents of my grandchildren.  They are easy-going parents who share my feelings about most things.  If we don’t see eye-to-eye on some matter . . . tough for me.  They are the parents.  I’m a believer.  That doesn’t mean that I don’t have some thoughts.  Just a few:

• children like to take their time
• children eventually figure it out
• children don’t wear watches therefore, children don’t care about time
• children aren’t in a hurry to get somewhere even if you are
• children like to stick with something until they decide they are tired of it
• children don’t mind dirt
• children don’t need their faces and hands washed all of the time
• children like to look and listen
• children don’t want to be talked to all of the time

It was wonderful to have a visit from grandchildren who live a distance away.  We gathered their little cousins and had a fun day.  I made “lunchables” in plastic containers and got out the Capri Sun juice with the straws.  Each child had a different idea about where he or she wanted to eat lunch.  Some sat at the little table in the playhouse.  Two climbed the stairs to the little loft in the playhouse and ate there.  George wanted to just sit alone and take his time.  When his sister came to talk to him, he told her to go away.  There may have been a reason that George sat down with his back to the rest of the children.  I think George was telling everyone to “just let him be”.

Well, some of the kids ate their lunchables.  Some ate part of them.  But, George?  George sat and sat and took his time until he ate almost every crumb.  His mommy said that if you just ” let him be” he will finish his lunch.

I agree with letting things be.  Letting kids be kids.  Leaving the dirt on them until the play is over.  Worrying about the dirty clothes later.  Leaving sticky things where they are.

“A quiet mind cureth all.”

-Robert Burton-