What I Miss

Most of the time these days I manage to make peace with the pandemic, but there are other days when I wallow in what I miss.

I miss the feeling of little fingers exploring my knee cap through the holes in my jeans as I read from a story book.

I miss the blast of overheated breath against my cheek as they excitedly whisper their news in my ear.

I miss the warmth of tears spreading through the fabric of my shirt and onto my shoulder as I hold them after a fall.

I miss the dampness that soaks through the seat of my pants when I sit on wet ground in order to be eye-to-eye with them.

I miss being genuinely eye-to-eye.

I miss living my days in a place where whenever I need to hold someone's hand, all I have to do is offer it and it will be embraced.

I miss overhearing the dance of bickering and agreement of children clustered together in private negotiation.

I miss those moments when we all fall silent, then, as if on cue, burst out in laughter.

I miss the moments before the children arrive when I await them in the last bit of silence.

I miss closing the door behind the last child to go home, then standing there to listen to them playing on the playground without me.

I miss the scent of the tops of their sweaty heads.

I miss living against the background of the bubble and babble of children at play.

I miss the gifts they bring for me, the special leaves, the bouquet of dandelions crushed lovingly in a fist, the portrait they made of me last night before going to bed.

I miss gently squeezing the last drops of snot from their noses.

I miss trusting them and to have that trust justified.

I miss spontaneous debates over our own rights and responsibilities and how to balance them with the rights and responsibilities of others.

I miss liberating them for a few hours each day in a world that is forever telling them what to do.

I miss being in the presence of so much love.

I miss spending my days learning from free people who grieve quickly, then come to accept their world as it is today, right now, engaging it without wasting a moment on what is missing. 

******

Tired of butting heads with kids? Scolding them? Bossing them around? Do you feel like they just don't listen? Sign up now to take advantage of New Year's pricing for my new 6-part e-course, The Technology of Speaking With Children So They Can Think, in which I pull the curtain back on the magic that comes from treating children like fully formed human beings. This course is for educators, parents, and anyone else who works with young children. It's the culmination of more than 20 years of research and practice. I've been speaking on this topic around the world for the past decade and know that it can be transformative both for adults and children. For more information and to register, click here. Thank you!

I put a lot of time and effort into this blog. If you'd like to support me please consider a small contribution to the cause. Thank you!