It’s A Good Life

My son and I were taking a break this morning from reading and made our way to drop off things at a Wider Circle, a center dedicated to ending poverty for families in the Washington, DC area.

That morning Dad had dropped off a trunk full of quilts, pillows and stuffed animals. Robbie was delighted. His bedroom was transformed into a little village: a special cave for the dragon and snake, a “bed house” for 2 large teddy bears, and a townhouse complex for the Winnie the Pooh animals. He got out the baby carrier that I had used for when he was a baby, strapped it on his front and carried around one of the baby bears and attached a sloth animal around his neck. For an hour he disappeared in a little world, when I would stop to listen, I would hear him whispering words. At one point he was lying on the bed.

“What’s happening Robbie?”
“Taking care of babies is exhausting Mom.”
“Oh right.”

I lay down on the bed, taking a break myself and I heard a little sound. Looking over, he was tickling the baby bear on his belly and under the neck much like how I tickle him.

It gave me deep pause. As a parent, it is normal to doubt if you are a good parent, whether you are doing the right thing and how to effectively raise them. I have doubted myself in many ways, especially recently in deciding to home school this very sensitive and intelligent child. If you ever doubt that your words and how you say your words make an impact, listen to the way your child talks to others.

On our way to make a donation he said,

“Mom?”
“Yes honey?”
“If God were to grant me 1 wish for anything, I know what I would wish for.”
“What?”
“I would wish that all the families and kids in the world have a good life.”
“What does a good life mean?”
“It means feeling good inside, playing, having fun with your friends.”
“That’s what you’d wish for?”
“Yes, mom, everyone deserves to feel good. Even when someone is mean. Maybe they forgot who they are.”
“Yes, perhaps so Robbie. Thank you for sharing that with me. It means a lot to me.”

Robbie gave away many of his stuffed animals as well as the ones my Dad brought to the house. “Mom, I want other kids to have a happy life too.”

“Thank you Robbie. May that be so. I love you son.”
“I love you too Mom.”