Nurturing Our Spirited Children |
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These wonderful pieces were written by parents of spirited children and occasionally by someone more 'famous' who's words speak truth and understanding. Hear their voices reach across the world to touch our hearts.
If you would like to submit original poetry, a story, or any other form of creative writing about your parenting journey, please email it to me.
Authors retain full rights and priviledges for their work. All work published is with the author's permission, unless it is within the public domain.
"Far better it is to dare mighty things
To win glorious triumphs
Even though checkered by failures
Than it is to take rank with those poor spirits
Who neigher enjoy much nor suffer much
Because they live in the grey twilight
That knows not victory nor defeat."
I think Theodore Rosevelt said this. I had it hanging in my office for
years and now it's hanging in my 7 year old son's room. Sometimes when I'm
sitting crying because I just don't know what else to do, I read it and I
know that my son will do great things with his life because he has a
wonderful spirit. I was never really sure why this quote appealed to me all
these years, now I know.
- A.S.
-Fra. Giovanni, A.D. 1513
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their ouls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the
infinite, and He bends you with his might that
his arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the Archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He
loves also the bow that is stable.
-The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
When tears of frustration flow I always find this poem comforting.
Take a moment to listen today
To what your children are trying to say
Listen today, whatever you do
Or they won't be there to listen to you.
Listen to their problems, listen to their needs
Praise their smallest triumphs, praise their smallest deeds
Tolerate their chatter, amplify their laughter
Find out whats the matter, find out what they're after.
Tell them that you love them, every single night
And though you scold them, be sure to hold them
Tell them "everythings alright
Tomorrows looking bright."
Take a moment to listen today
To what your children are trying to say
Listen today, whatever you do
And they will come back to listen to you.
~ Author Unknown
I really hope someone else finds this as comforting as I do. Of course there are always those days when no matter what you read or no matter how many people keep telling you you are doing a wonderful job just keep going, regardless of all this, you just want to crawl under a rock and stay there until they close their eyes and drift into a deep sleep, so you can emerge with the confidence that tomorrow is another fresh day.