We have a flower at home that blossoms by multiplying. Instead of flowers, it produces more of its own. See the tiny ones surrounding it? Well, that’s how it blossoms. Naturally, as humans, we always want more of everything,so when I saw the small ones, my first instinct was to move them to a different place so they could grow. I removed parts of it and then continued weeding. My little girl was looking at me, and for a moment she kept quiet.
Then she said, “Mum, can I hold them for a while? They look sad, and I think they miss their mom.”
Me:Why do you think that?
You just removed them from their mother, and you haven’t planted them yet. So they have nothing to eat, and now they look cold. I want to hold them so they are warm before you can plant them.
This conversation had me thinking about some of the things that we do without even thinking of the consequences. My intentions were good, or so I thought. My kid, from where she was standing, saw something else. I tend to think that most of our actions are based on our immediate interests, and while that could be a good thing, unfortunately, it can also be a bad thing. From then on, I have learned to take a bit of time and look at my surroundings. My child might have thought I wasn’t nice when I was really transplanting so this flower could have more babies. The little girl calls them babies, so I started calling them babies too. They say kids learn more from what we do than from what we say. Well, this mama is here to tell you that no matter how careful you are, kids have their own minds. So you keep winging it and hope you are enough for your children. Intentional parenting comes with so much need to get it right, and if there’s anything I have learned from this journey, it’s to listen more. Am I a good parent? Well,well I hope I am, and when I am not, I will always apologize and say I am sorry. I am also willing to learn and unlearn in order to be a good parent. And just like my transplanting skills, she will always be looking, so I hope I can always listen and know when I need to adjust. Here’s to enjoying this journey and loving every bit of it.
