My little 3 year old, W, lives in the most literal world. It’s such an innocent, tender, and simple little place. Every time he gives us a peek into it I find it so refreshing. Most recently, there was a fire drill at his preschool last week. Here is his recap of it.

W: We had a fire drill at school today!!
Me: What did you do?
W: We went OUTSIDE!!!!!! We looked to see if there was a drill on fire!!!!!!!!! There wasn’t!!!!!!! So we came back inside!!!!!!

That’s one of the best conversations I’ve ever had. That precious little exchange reminded me of just who W really is and what his little heart and spirit are made of. He is simple and completely uncomplicated. He’s looking at the world with these expectant little glasses waiting in awe to see what will unfold in front of him. He’s exuberant and joyful as it happens, and he thinks everything is AMAZING!! Aren’t I lucky that I get to spend my days with him? What a gift to have insight into his little world.

While that conversation went straight to my heart, it also centered me in terms of the way that I parent. His tender and expectant spirit needs to be loved and nurtured gently. I need to choose my words carefully since they seem to be absorbed into his brain in their purest form. I need to have compassion and patience for this very important, very defining part of his spirit, and I need to react accordingly. It’s always so helpful to have this insight into these lives that we are raising. It’s parent professional development at its best.

Drills on fire. What a world.

Find the joy,
Jessica

Jessica McCauley, M.Ed. is a parenting coach/consultant. She draws on her background as a Montessori educator and Child Life Specialist to help families navigate the challenges of the early childhood years. Contact Jessica at http://smallhandsbigsteps.com/contact/ for more information or to schedule a consultation.