It's easy to fill up our children's lives. Birthday parties. Playdates. Family outings. Sports. Activities. Homework. Art projects. Structured family time. As a parent, I often feel compelled to make sure I'm helping my kids create memories or build skills or foster relationships. I often feel like it's my responsibility to make sure their childhoods are filled with fun, happy memories. And then my kids remind me that they are very capable of creating memories and building skills and fostering relationships all by themselves.
Staley and Adelie spent over 4 straight hours this afternoon setting up and playing doll hotel. They had the best time! It wasn't my idea. I didn't help them figure out how to arrange the furniture. I didn't suggest decorations or scenarios. I didn't show them how to use scrap materials, headbands and bandanas to make doll clothes and bedding. I wasn't involved in their play. They worked together to create a whole new doll world in the basement. They helped each other, shared, compromised, and had a great time together in the process. This is memory creating at its finest, and it never would have happened if I had planned out their day for them. Sometimes I need the reminder...
...that this is what childhood is all about.
