You know, the wonder of children still amazes me. My 21 month old daughter is content to walk outside with me, picking up rocks, dandelions and any other things she finds to be interesting (although the bulk of her interest lies in rocks for some unknown reason). But most of all, she loves holding onto my pointer finger and walking along beside me.
Today, as I was gardening, she was playing contentedly in the dirt. At some points sitting right in it and other times walking around with a little hand held shovel she delights in using on my nicely formed hills. As I was preparing to carefully bury my green bean seeds in the dirt, a thought struck me. I called my daughter over, poured 2 seeds out into my palm and told her to put them in the hole. I showed her how to put them in and at 21 months of age, my baby became a gardener. She worked with me, all the way down the row with the occasional "uh-oh" (meaning she'd dropped one of the seeds).
Sure, she lost a few seeds, stepped on some of the hills causing dirt to slide down and took much longer than I would have in placing each seed carefully in the hole. But a much more valuable thing took place today. I taught my daughter a love of gardening and a lesson about life. Instead of shooing her off to play with some toy or letting her sit in front of a television, I poured something into my daughter that money can't buy. Love, experience and a memory. Perhaps she won't remember it, but I sure will. I'll remember the sheer joy and pride of watching my little girl and spending precious time with her. I've learned a valuable lesson about "training your children up" and why God places so much importance on it. It's not just about teaching. It's about showing love, mercy and patience and growing in my relationship with my daughter.
Gained: A memory, experience, a lesson about relationships and how to be a more Godly mother, entertainment for my daughter (without the cost of a toy)
Cost: A few lost seeds, some extra time and a slightly more burned neck
***I think I got a pretty good deal***
Go to Frugal Friday for other great frugal deals and Amy's Finer Things to get some more inspiration on the Finer Things in Life
10 comments:
There is NO WAY I could garden without giving the two year old a trowel to work alongside me. Mostly she digs in the raised bed where nothing is planted, but she walks alongside me and picks what I point at, too.
I can't wait until harvest time!
I love it! I am really bad about letting my children help with things, I am constantly reminding myself to let them. And the joy that they get from helping is wonderful! Glad you got to spend sweet time with that adorable chubby cheecked little angel of yours!
Amen! My son has been gardening with me since he was a toddler, and his enthusiasm for it has only gotten stronger. This is a wonderful activity to share with our children.
Nice post. It is important to do things like this with our kids now. They won't remember each time per se, but lots of those little moments added together build a very nice familial relationship.
:)
This is one thing I so much look forward to with my five month old. Thanks for sharing & your little girl is adorable!
Even if she doesn't remember, what's important is that for those moments you were working together and she was basking in your undivided attention. Those kinds of things, the feeling that Mommy loves her she won't forget, ever.
That is how they learn. Some parents just don't get it. Good for you!
We LOVE gardening! In fact, at 3 & 4 years old, the boys have their plants and do some container gardening. They are so proud and love it more than I do! Great post and great reminder!!
I think you got a fantastic deal, and your post served as a great reminder to me to be patient with my little gardeners. ;-)
I love having the kids out in the garden with me. I sometimes give them seeds and let them plant wherever....then I get pleasant surprises...like the tomatoe plant in the front yard flower bed. It makes me smile :)
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