We spend the first twelve months of our children’s lives teaching them to walk and talk and the next twelve telling them to sit down and shut up.” ~ Phyllis Diller
Good Morning!
Phyllis Diller was a stand-up comedian from the 1950’s to her death in 2012. She was the Joan Rivers of my growing up years. (although a bit more censored ). Her quote today is meant to be funny and I am sure elicited a lot of laughs, but there is a bit of truth in what she is saying.
During that first year of our child’s life we delight in everything that they do. We are mesmerized when they turn over, excited when they crawl and positively ecstatic when they begin to walk. We talk to them all day and when they finally start uttering words we rejoice with the knowledge that life will be easier now that they can speak.
After the novelty wares off, unfortunately we do begin to tell them to sit down and be quiet. Think about it. How many times a day do we expect our children to be quiet? When we are on the phone, when we are trying to think, when someone comes over to visit. How many times a day do we expect them to sit? In the highchair, in the car seat, in our laps?
Yes, there are times when children need to sit and be quiet but there are many more times when they should be moving and exploring and talking and laughing and making messes everywhere they go. Letting them have this time will make life a bit harder and the many jobs you planned to get done, won’t. But take it from me, the time you have them is indeed very short.
So…the jobs you need to get done, the telephone calls you need to make, the errands you need to get done, can wait. Enjoy the noise of their sweet voice as your child talks, enjoy chasing them around as they run from place to place, enjoy the messes now while you can. Then when they are gone to live their own life, you will never have to say “I wish I had…”
Have some fun today!
peggy
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