Creating Connections

I can not believe we are halfway through July… like actually where does time go???

This post has been a work in progress as I was struggling to find the words to really convey my message; to be honest I am still not sure I have found them.  BUT none-the-less here is the post…

How do we as parents cultivate and foster the passions and interests we see in our children??  At what age should we do more than encourage and start pushing?? And why so much pressure on ensuring our children have such  narrow passions???

Since Declan was about 8 months old and crawling he has been in the kitchen with me, following me around doing chores and helping me create a smooth flowing household.  But does that mean he wants to be a homemaker??  (no problem if he does).  He has also been obsessed with music since he was a small baby.  And while he has a guitar and piano should I be doing more by putting him in focused music lessons??

For me the answer is NO.  Not yet anyway.  Instead I am focusing on creating connections with Declan.  I want Declan to understand he is a part of something bigger than just himself and I want Declan to know that his passions are a part of his life as a greater whole.  So, together we create connections to foster his loves and interests.  Does he play soccer and does he go to art class…sure he does but for me  it about what happens after those activities that is important.  It is about the connections he makes to his passion, it is about the connections he has to Brendan and I and it is about the connections to a bigger world.  I believe that it is my job to raise a son who is connected and involved in the world around him. So, while I foster his interest in reading and I encourage him to play with his trucks it is about the relationships he creates doing those things.

Photos: Jenna Sparks Photography 

A quick note about the book we are reading– for his birthday my mother-in-law got Declan a subscription to The Little Bookish Wardrobe and I would say it was the best gift  he got.  Each month a box arrives and inside we get to discover a whole new world.  He gets a new book, a costume (to encourage imaginative play) related to the book, a craft and questions to help build comprehension and engagement.  As a former teacher I was thrilled when I stumbled upon this subscription.  Check them out!!  (this was not sponsored by them, I just love it that much).

So, I could make this post about the importance of reading but I wont!  It is still about creating connections to a greater world it’s just today we are doing it with reading. So, being a mother to a child who is obsessed with reading has really proven to be a blessing in accomplishing my goal of creating connections because books are where Declan finds calmness, peace and focus.  When we read he melts into me, hangs on to every word I read and truly engages in the book. This creates the perfect storm for allowing me the opportunity to build connections for him that are bigger than himself.  HE LOVES IT.  It is our favorite time of day, both of us.  I use this time for us to connect, create and cultivate those connections that will, hopefully, help in the long run.

Each day I get to spend with Declan I am challenged to create connections that he will see as beneficial- even at three I think he is starting to understand how important bigger concepts are.  The hobbies and interests he shows as his life goes on will only be enhanced and that much greater due to the connections he makes in his earlier years… well, that is the hope anyway.

With Love,