Kiki's Marriage Proposals

I Tried to Teach My Child with Books;
He Gave Me Only Puzzled Looks.
I Tried to Teach My Child with Words;
They Passed Him by Often Unheard.
Despairingly, I Turned Aside;
"How Shall I Teach this Child," I cried?
Into My Hand He Put the Key,
"Come," He Said, "Play with Me."
~ Author Unknown


I think a lot about being a good parent. Wondering if I am one. How can I be better? Will it make a difference? Do I pay enough attention? Do I pay too much attention? Does Kiki suffer because I don’t always want to play? How much do my actions, thoughts, feelings affect my daughter? Do I even deserve this beautiful child that has entered our life?

It seems like Kiki went from being two to being three in the blink of an eye. I feel like I missed a year somehow and want to do my best to make the most of the time we spend together. I want her to enjoy most moments in life, to be a good person, to respect others, and to respect herself. I want her to be thoughtful, educated, humble, relaxed, and confident. Not too much to hope for, to strive for, is it? How will we teach her?

Not every moment is going to be some profound learning experience, but she is always watching. We spent the weekend visiting with Meemaw (fun trip to American Girl), planting a tomato plant, and attending a “getting to know you” brunch with her new friends from next year’s class at school. Simple, but fun. She does see how we interact with (and treat) other people. How fun it is to be with family. How we can't get everything we want. And, the magic of the word please.

Which brings me to Kiki’s marriage proposals. A few weeks ago, the mother of one of Kiki’s great friends at school told me a funny story. Her son, Jed (on the seesaw with Kiki in the pics), was asking her if he would get married someday. She told him she hoped so. He asked her who he might marry. She said she didn’t know, they’d have to wait and see. He asks, how about Kiki? She said sure!

At the brunch, another mother whose son is in Kiki’s class told me she had a very similar conversation recently with her son. He also asked if he could marry Kiki :-D.

So, with all the worrying, I suppose we must be doing something right. By the way, we’d be very happy with either suitor, but Kiki has declared herself too young to get married ;-).