“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” - Nelson Mandela, President of South Africa 1994-1999
Happy 94th birthday, Nelson Mandela!
You always have been and always will be one of my personal heroes.
I highly recommend the book “Mandela: In Celebration of a Great Life” by Charlene Smith. She has interviewed him countless times over the years and her account of his journey is a real “inside” look at the President.
Look on the wall of any kindergarten classroom and you’ll find a list of rules like this:
Image borrowed from scribd.com
From the minute they enter the school system, our kids are taught how to be good, play fair, be nice. It’s wonderful and delightful and, well, unrealistic.
I was the mother who mirrored those rules at home. I made damned sure my children said please and thank-you. I always facilitated sharing and turn-taking. We spoke about weapon-words and how to ask for things nicely and how snatching toys was bad. When my children started to fight with one another, I always jumped right in and mediated so they could learn that it’s not necessary to be mean. We did a lot of role-playing.
How very naive. Not to mention short-sighted.
“Why?”, you ask.
Baby G: Mum, wake up!
Me: (incoherent grumbling)
Baby G: pleeeeease!
Me: grumble grumble….sun is still sleeping….grumble grumble.
Baby G: C’mon mummy! Lets snuggle and wake up the sun togevuh!
Best invitation ever. We snuggled, drank OJ and with one squinty eye open, I watched the sun ‘wake up’ with my little princess’ hand wrapped tightly around my index finger.
Being woken when it’s still dark. Not so cool. Being told how much you are loved at 5:15am…delicious.
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very timely advice! Thanks for sharing it on the Hump Day Hook Up
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Ecactly! ;p
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