Tuesday, January 11, 2011

A baby's present

Welcome to the January Carnival of Natural Parenting: Learning from children

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared the many lessons their children have taught them. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

A baby's present


I've never heard my baby fret
over all she has to do.  And yet--
how often I've been heard to say,
"I've got too much to do today!"

Why is it that a baby knows
instinctively to smell the roses?

When she is cuddled up to nurse,
she does not think about her purse,
which overflows with toys and wipes,
and sometimes, sadly, dirty dipes.

When she is going for a walk,
you will not hear her worried squawk
about the furniture and floors,
which don't get cleaned much anymore.

When she is splashing in the bath,
she does not stop to do the math
of all the money that she'll need
if she continues thus to breed.

Perhaps I ought to let her teach me 
how to take things nice and easy,
to multi-task a little less--
in short, to practice mindfulness.


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Carnival of Natural Parenting -- Hobo Mama and Code Name: MamaVisit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
(This list will be live and updated by afternoon January 11 with all the carnival links.)

7 comments:

  1. Oh I love this poem; it's perfect - thank you! The light-heartedness you are talking about actually comes across in the rhythm of the verse; it's wonderful! And I agree, perhaps we should just learn to chill out a little more and not sweat the small stuff. THanks for bringing a smile to my face this morning x

    Mrs Green @littlegreenblog.com

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  2. I love your poem! It's so apt the way babies don't worry and could teach us a thing or two about just enjoying!

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  3. Ha! The very idea of a baby fretting about the furniture and floors is just so silly! Of course she doesn't worry! I wonder when along the way from childhood to adulthood all the worries take over?

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  4. So cute! And true - we could all probably learn from our little ones to be more present and mindful. Thank you for the reminder.

    ~Dionna @ Code Name: Mama

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  5. Lovely poem! And something I definitely need to remember. Thanks.

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  6. Ah, to live in the moment like a baby :)

    http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Novascotia

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