Somersaults Aren't For Stairways

Written by Valerie Zilinsky


Yesterday, my daughter arrived home from a visit with her grandparents. My heart broke when I saw her, wearing a huge lump on her forehead, tears streaming down her face. It seems she did a somersault - on a stairway. Actually, my son had let his ball roll downrepparttar stairway accidentally, and she was trying to be nice and retrieve it for him. As she nearedrepparttar 111625 bottom ofrepparttar 111626 stairs, she tumbled forward down three steps.

It's moments like that when we wish we were magic. Why couldn't I say “Abracadabra!” and make allrepparttar 111627 hurt go away? I thinkrepparttar 111628 bump and scratch bothered me more than it did her. She kept telling me that it's ok, she was fine. She sure didn't look fine! Aren't I supposed to berepparttar 111629 protector? Why wasn't I there to catch her, or to keep her away fromrepparttar 111630 stairs? Speaking to my mother onrepparttar 111631 phone yesterday evening, I found I wasn'trepparttar 111632 only one feeling guilty. I had to reassure my mother that it wasn't her fault, while battling my own feelings of guilt.

The truth is, no matter how hard we try, we can't protect our children from every fall. But we can be there to pick them up, dry their tears, and help them to keep going. And things could have been much worse. I keep having dreadful thoughts of how badly she could have been hurt. We were extremely lucky thatrepparttar 111633 worst she got was a lump on her head.

Every time my children are sick or hurt, I feel I should be able to fix it all. My daughter makes it clear to me that she doesn't need me to be "supermom" - she just needs to know that I'm there for her. Withrepparttar 111634 maturity that her almost-five years has brought her, she kept telling me that she was okay, it didn't hurt, andrepparttar 111635 lump was getting smaller. Who was reassuring whom here? I was re-learning another truth of parenthood at that moment... we are not only here to teach our children, but our children are here to teach us. My daughter was reminding me that all she needs from me is my love, andrepparttar 111636 rest will work itself out.

All The Stars In The Sky

Written by Valerie Zilinsky


Fromrepparttar time my daughter started talking, stars have always played a special part in our life. She asked me an impossible question... "Mom, how much do you love me?" I searched for an answer...How can a parent possibly put those feelings into words?

We were outside, and looking up atrepparttar 111624 sky while trying to think ofrepparttar 111625 right way to answer, I found myself staring at a brilliantly starry night. And my answer came to me... "Sweetie, I love you more than allrepparttar 111626 stars inrepparttar 111627 sky!" She quickly gazed up atrepparttar 111628 beautiful glitter above, and I could see immediately how satisfied she was with my answer.

In recent years, we have repeated this conversation many times - wheneverrepparttar 111629 night sky cooperates, and even on cloudy days if she seems to need a reminder. She also has started to respond with her own ideas... she told me recently that she loves me more than allrepparttar 111630 trees inrepparttar 111631 world, and alsorepparttar 111632 water inrepparttar 111633 ocean.

In today's world, parents are rushing through each and every day, driving back and forth, going to work, going to school, attending sporting events, going on errands, cleaningrepparttar 111634 house, and an ongoing list of other activities that keep us busy. We tell ourselves that we are doing most of it for our families, for our children. But what they need most of all from us is to know that we care, to be reminded. Takerepparttar 111635 time to do that - right now!

Some ideas to help you get started right away: - Print out certificates and awards to personalize and give to your daughter, such asrepparttar 111636 ones available here: http://www.raisingadaughter.com/free/  - Put "love notes" in your child's lunch box - Send your child an email love-note - Make a "date" just forrepparttar 111637 two of you each week, and spend that time focusing on only your child. - Give your child a homemade coupon for ice-cream and a movie at home just forrepparttar 111638 two of you. - Make your child's favorite meal or dessert. - Send your child a letter inrepparttar 111639 mail. - Frame your child's artwork and hang it for a week where everyone can see it.

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