Email from my MOPS friend Jill

Good reminder as we approach the day we celebrate Motherhood!

5 Ways to Make Childhood Last


1. Wake up. Let your children wake you up. Better yet, let them drag you out of bed. How much of your life – how much of their lives – do you spend in this ceaseless struggle to get more sleep? Give up already. I promise you, one day too soon the house will grow empty.Then sleep will once more evade. Seize the day! Seize the night! This divine mission to bring us into full awareness of our lives is the reason your child has come. So crack a lid and get this party started.If you could just once see the exhilarating potential they wake to every day, you'd know why children don't want to waste a minute to slumber.

2. Break the rules.Brownies for breakfast. Painting your hair. Jumping on the beds.Staying up late and missing school. Adventure! Daring! Build your house on rules, but then have the good sense to barrel right through them from time to time. Breaking rules brings your home to life. It brings you to life!

3. Get on the floor.For one hour a day, get down on the floor and surrender to play. Not play on your terms – where you choose the game, control the action, and make corrections – play on their terms. Set a kitchen timer to keep track. Your children need one hour of undistracted attention from you each day. The trouble is, we spend16 hours avoiding it.

4. Hold hands.Kisses grow scarce. Cuddles are outgrown. Your scrumptious love bug swill soon be parceling out the affection in piddling doses. How then to keep close? Hold hands at every chance. It's the last, best way to stay in touch. It's practical, it's intimate, it's precious, and it's the ageless sign of peaceful coexistence. And when your child finally lets go of your fingertips, you'll know one thing for sure. All this time you thought you were guiding them forward, they were really leading you here. To the point of letting go.

5. Say it a million times over.I love you. I'm proud of you. You're funny. Good idea! I like it.That's perfect. Yes! You make me smile. I missed you. Good choice! I had fun with you today. I believe you. I'm glad to see you. Let's play.Blow me a kiss. Sit on my lap. Let me tell you a story. Once there was a little girl who turned into a queen. Happy birthday Lucy! You can be anything and anyone you wish!!