Like most women my age, one of my biggest goals in life is to be a mother. Of course, currently, I’m achieving my goal of graduating college and getting a big girl job. But for me, raising a child is the ultimate dream. Being an education major, I’m surrounded by children all day long and when I’m not, I have to study about how to nurture children in order for them to reach their full potential. From all my studies I have not only built my philosophy of education, but also my philosophy of parenting. There are certain things which I learned from working with kids and I have stored it in the back of my head to remember for the day I have my own child waddling around me shouting for their “Mama.” Here are a few things I want my future child to know.
1. Don’t be afraid of everything you’re feeling.
Life is full of complex emotions that can make you have a wide range of reactions. You can be sad during happy times, and be overjoyed through an overshadowing darkness. Life is a weird thing and so are the emotions that come along with it. I want you to be free flowing with your emotions and embrace everything you feel, because being in touch with yourself is the only way to be truly happy. Whenever things get a little too tough, just know I am always a warm hug that is eager to take this burden off of your shoulders and help sort out the confusing tangle of thoughts you have.
2. Cry often.
Girl, boy, or whatever you identify with, it doesn’t matter. I want you to be never afraid to cry. Cry when your favorite character in a book series dies, and cry when you’re at your own graduation. In my eyes crying is never a sign of weakness, rather a sign that you are letting yourself feel. Come find me and we’ll cry together wrapped up in blankets, passing tissues back and forth. Your pain, joy and sorrow are all mine as well.
3. Make a mess.
I want you to make a mess of your room, the basement, the kitchen, or anywhere you’re drawn to. Find something you’re passionate about and let it get so out of control that the mess has taken over entire rooms. Cover the walls with your artwork, blanket the floors with your books, or even fill plates with the food you cook. Being a child is all about exploring and telling you to clean up or scolding you for the mess you made will only cause you to be more cautious.
4. Never be afraid to ask.
Whether it's a question about homework, or if you can have friends over, I don’t want you to ever be afraid to ask a question. A child's mind is a question factory that is constantly working overtime. Their brains are so eager to learn and discover that the only way it know how is to rattle off questions left and right. I want to be the one to answer any and every question you pose so I can quench your inquisitive mind. The only way to figure out the world is through exploration and I want to help you navigate this confusing planet in any way I can.
5. Embrace mistakes.
The only way to learn is by taking risks and making mistakes, so I want you to constantly make mistakes. Drop paint on the floor, set the fire alarm off when making toast, get your heart broken a few times. Part of living is making mistakes but embracing those mistakes is the only way you can truly grow as a person and figure out who you truly are. I never want you to be like me, someone who is afraid to put myself out there in order to make mistakes.
I want a child who is fearless because they know I will be behind them one hundred percent to support them and love them no matter how big or small the mistake is.
