When our children are little, we look forward to every 'first.' If at all possible we make sure we are there for the first smile, first laugh, first tooth, first step...first of everything! If we come home from a long day at work or a short trip to the store and find out that we were absent during a milestone in our child's life, we feel so dejected. This was a once in a life time experience and we missed it! So we fight and maneuver our way to ensure, to the best of our ability, that this doesn't happen. I remember when my oldest was about to lose her first tooth. I WANTED to be there! I wanted to be the one to pull it. I sent a note to her teacher and said to please not let her pull her tooth while she was at school. If I went to the store, I made sure my husband knew that I wanted to be there and he better not pull that tooth while I was gone!! A little obsessive? Yes, I suppose, but I had not missed anything in her life up to that point and I had no intention of starting! Thankfully, I was there when it was time for that wee little tooth to come out and to the best of my recollection, I haven't missed any of the major firsts of any of my four kids. I was able to stay home with them and every time I experienced a new developmental milestone with my children, I realized how incredibly blessed I was.
Time has passed quickly and that little kindergartner who was anticipating her first loose tooth has become a grown woman; a college student with a job, a car, a checking account. She is independent and smart and fairly self-sufficient. So, I always find it endearing when she encounters something she has yet to experience and needs my assistance. It is for this reason, when I received a phone call from her yesterday telling me that her inspection sticker was expiring in two days and she didn't know what to do, that my heart just kind of melted a little and I couldn't help the smile that took over my face. Of course, I told her I would go with her and show her where to go and what she needed to do. It was a learning experience; she did not have a her updated insurance card so we had to call her dad and have it faxed over and she had a fun time finding her registration in her less-than organized glove compartment! In the end, she learned something new about being an adult. I then took her to a place to have air put in her tires, another first that she has not had to experience. I left her there and went on my way to run errands and about two minutes later my phone rang. "Mom, he gave me a ticket for a free car wash...but I've never gotten a car wash before, I'm not sure what to do." Again, a smile broke out across my face and I patiently explained the procedure. She seemed kind of bashful and embarrassed because of her inexperience but I assured her that we all have to have firsts in order to learn new things. By the end of the day, she was empowered in new ways and next time she needs to take care of some simple vehicle maintenance, she will be very capable! Next week we learn about getting an oil change!
Maybe for some of you, these things seem so small. But, when you've never had to do these things, it can seem daunting. As a mother, my goal is to raise independent, self-sufficient, Christian adults who have good work ethic and are an asset to society. That being said, however, it is kind of sweet when a child who thinks they are so grown and so smart and know SOOO much, still come to you for help with things that to us, seem so simple. So, to add to all the firsts I never missed, first smile, first tooth, first word, I can now add first vehicle inspection, first tire maintenance and first car wash. The rewards of being a parents are all around us, in small, seemingly insignificant ways perhaps, but if you look for them, they are numerous!!
No comments:
Post a Comment