I am glad that I am not the oldest, because your school takes too long and you don't get many hugs.
Now, the part about school taking too long doesn't phase me one bit. That's life. The older you get, the more work you have. But the part about not getting many hugs broke my heart. Little children are keen observers, and they are painfully honest about what they see. I hug and kiss on Sam all day long because he is my baby (even though he is 6), but when I really thought about it, I realized that I really don't hug my older children that often. How terrible!
Then I began to ponder. When does it happen? When do you go from hugging and kissing your children every time you walk by them to not remembering if you hug them aside from telling them goodnight? When you are holding a young child in your lap, how do you know if it is the last time they will sit in your lap (because they are growing up?)? I always felt that way about nursing my babies/toddlers. The last time that I nursed them, I didn't realize it at that time that it was the last time. I would have lingered.
So, I have been hugging my older children more. Brushing their hair back. Making sure that I touch them, put a hand on their shoulder. In front of Sam and when he is not around. It makes me feel great, and I know that they enjoy it too.
Sometimes we just need a little to child to remind us.
Very true, I appreciate this reminder!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this. Of my oldest girls, one comes to me for hugs more than another because she is just more physically affectionate than her sister, but I need to remember to be the one to reach out and hug my other sweet girl too! Thanks for the reminder that they all need a mother's loving touch.
ReplyDeleteWow! The lessons the Lord teaches us from the littlest ones our care are powerful. This makes me think about my own children and my lack of affection toward the older ones. It is so easy to just get caught up in caring for the newest born and forget the needs of the other children around us. This brings tears to my eyes thinking about it. Thanks for the reminder to show affection to them all no matter the age.
ReplyDeleteWhen my son was little I remember recording all of his firsts, but I never remembered his lasts...the last time he sat on my lap, the last time we cuddled and read a book together, the last time he asked me to tie his shoes. It seems we are always striving to get them independent, we forget to linger.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the reminder, I am going over to hug my oldest daughter right now!
I was lying in bed at night not long ago thinking about that. Wondering if I had hugged or touched a certain child at all that day since she's so independent and doesn't seem to need it. I remember someone once saying we all need 14 hugs per day. Yikes, if that's true, my oldest four are in trouble! I'm trying to do better at that, too.
ReplyDelete