Hey there, mama friends! Today I just wanna spill the beans on how I’m trying to raise my little ones with all the care and compassion in the world. It’s been quite a ride, let me tell you!
When I first became a mom, I was so clueless. I mean, you read all the books and think you’ve got it all figured out, but the moment that tiny human is placed in your arms, it’s like everything you thought you knew goes out the window. But one thing was clear to me from the start, I wanted my kids to grow up feeling loved and understood.
One of the first things I focused on was really listening to them. You know how kids can go on and on about the silliest things? Like my little girl will come to me and start telling me about this imaginary friend who lives in the garden and has a pet unicorn. And instead of just brushing her off like, “Oh that’s nice, honey,” I sit down with her, look her in the eyes, and really listen to every detail. Because to her, that imaginary friend is as real as can be, and by listening, I’m showing her that her thoughts and feelings matter.
It’s not always easy though. There are days when I’m super tired, and all I want to do is zone out on the couch with a cup of coffee. But then my son will come up to me with a problem he’s having at school, like someone took his favorite toy or he didn’t get picked for the team in gym class. And I have to push through that exhaustion and be there for him. Because I know that if I don’t show him that I care about his little hurts now, he might not come to me when he has bigger problems later.
Another aspect of raising them with care is respecting their individuality. My kids are so different from each other. My daughter is this creative, free-spirited little thing who loves to dance around the house in her princess dress all day. And my son is more into building things and figuring out how stuff works. I don’t try to force them into a mold of what I think they should be. Instead, I encourage their unique interests. I’ll buy my daughter new art supplies and let her create messy masterpieces all over the kitchen table. And for my son, I’ll get him those building kits and sit with him while he tries to construct the tallest tower.
Compassion is also a huge part of it. I want my kids to be kind to others. So we talk about how everyone has their own struggles. When we see someone on the street who looks sad or is having a hard time, we’ll talk about it. Like the other day, we saw a homeless man sitting outside the grocery store. Instead of just walking by, we stopped and I explained to the kids that he might not have a home or enough food to eat. And we went inside and bought him a sandwich and a bottle of water and gave it to him. The looks on my kids’ faces were priceless. They were so proud to be able to help someone in need.
Teaching them about emotions is another key thing. Kids feel so much, but they don’t always know how to handle it. So we have these little “emotion check-ins.” I’ll ask them how they’re feeling during the day. And if they’re sad or angry, we’ll talk about why. For example, if my daughter gets mad because her brother took her doll, we’ll sit down and I’ll say, “Honey, it’s okay to be angry when someone takes something that’s yours. But let’s talk about a better way to handle it than yelling.” And we’ll come up with solutions together.
But it’s not just about the serious stuff. We also have a ton of fun! We have family game nights where we play silly board games and laugh until our bellies hurt. We go on picnics in the park and chase each other around. These moments of joy are just as important as the serious teaching moments. Because it’s through these good times that we build those strong family bonds that will carry us through the tough times.
In conclusion, raising kids with care and compassion is a never-ending journey. There are going to be bumps in the road, but as long as I keep listening, respecting, teaching compassion, and having fun with them, I know I’m on the right track. And I hope that by sharing my experiences, it might give some of you other mamas out there some ideas on how to do the same with your precious little ones. 💖