No other 8 year olds that I knew at that time still would admit to loving Curious George. It was kind of our family ‘secret.’ (Though not really since she had a Curious George birthday party that year.) At the time, I remember being a little embarrassed that my 8 year old was still into Curious George when a lot of the girls I knew were into High School Musical and Hannah Montana.
Looking back on this now after 2 years have passed. It seems so stupid. She was only 8! Who cares if she still loved Curious George. As with all phases of childhood, they are just that, phases. Unless your child has some kind of special need, they will grow up. They will mature. Let them be who they are and let them be into what truly interests them.
Now, as I look at the pictures, I can see how excited my daughter was to meet Curious George. I am so glad she had that opportunity. I am glad I chose not to listen to the mindset that she shouldn’t like that character and I could let her enjoy her moment.
She looks so young in the pictures. I know at the time, I felt like she was so big. Now I look at how young and small she looks and I think her liking Curious George seems perfectly appropriate. Isn’t it interesting how a few years and a trip down memory lane can change our perspective?
Just putting it out there in case you are a parent and you need a moment of perspective.
Even as I write this, I need some perspective. Snowflake is in a phase where she wants to be a rock star/diva when she grows up. She is always in her pretend world signing autographs, putting on shows, doing interviews on T.V., etc. Sometimes it drives me nuts. But you know what, it is just a phase and it will pass and she will move on to the next phase(If she reads this she will gasp and tell me no way!). Most likely in some way, that phase will drive me nuts and I will wish for another phase. UNLESS I choose to stop letting the phases drive me nuts and choose to join my kids where they are. Sounds great, right. I’m working on it…and while I am at can someone please tell me that this really is a phase because my diva loving daughter is scaring me at times….LOL!
It sure is so much easier to have perspective in retrospect, but as parents, we only get so much time for retrospect before they are gone and adults and on their own. I really want to work on joining my kids where they are and not waiting for a trip down memory lane to put it in perspective for me.
You can see some of the fun the kids and I created with our summer jar of activities or read more of my real roller coaster ride of motherhood.
Great reminder to love the phase we’re in. Thanks – I needed that today! Jodi @ http://www.meaningfulmama.com
I so relate to this. Sometimes I would rather my son be less into legos and more into hygeine. HAHA. Or something… But, then I think thank God it’s legos and not something awful. I don’t wanna rush their days by constantly anticipating the next phase. Like you, let’s celebrate the one they are in.. 🙂 Great Post. New follower.
Falen
UpwardNotInward.Blogspot.com
(found you on Fantabulous Friday)
Lol(about the hygiene)! I agree with you on the part of being grateful that they are into what they are and not something awful. Celebrating where they are sounds so great. I know it is something I have to constantly make myself aware of because it is so easy to anticipate the next thing or wish they were somewhere different.
Thanks so much for your comments. I really liked this post and appreciate hearing feedback from others that it is meaningful to you as well.
Hope you have a great week!
It’s funny how, when they were younger you were wishing they’d act older….you need to remember your own advice when they’re older (and into boys and awful music and being exposed to sex, drugs, and all kinds of other scary things) and you wish they were still younger.
(I was the oldest of six – – I had the hardest time at age 15-16-17 to get my parents to understand that it was time to start letting me have some more freedoms. In their mind, I was perpetually 10.