They say we should live in the moment.

I think this is true…but it is certainly hard to do.

Especially when you are raising children.

When your newborn baby is lying in his crib, you wonder…when will he start to smile at me?

As your baby girl kicks her feet in the air, you think…when will she turn over?

When will he crawl, stand up, walk on his own?

When will she talk, write her name, ride a bike?

Perhaps this is part of the human condition…this almost constant quest for the next stage of development.  Maybe this characteristic of ours is what drives civilization to newer technologies and what causes yesterday’s inventions to become obsolete.

Take a breath…look around you…this moment will never be experienced again. 

Be in this moment with your child…share a story and participate together in an activity…you will be creating a life-long bond.

Here’s a suggestion for a story to read to your preschooler (but any story will do):

I LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU’RE YOU: written by Lisa Baker, illustrated by David McPhail: Story summary:

Mother Fox tells her son that she loves him when he is happy as well as when he is angry, when he is sick in bed as well as when he is running around, when he is shouting as well as when he is quiet.  Little Fox is very comforted by the fact that his mother loves him just as he is.

LOVE COLLAGE CRAFT PROJECT: You will need: A piece of construction paper, old magazines, scissors, paste and crayons.

1. Talk to your child about the things she loves…her family, pets, playing ball, eating ice cream, the color blue, etc.
2. Look through the magazines and help your child cut out pictures that illustrate what she loves.
3. Paste the pictures onto the paper…let your child use the crayons to draw additional things (or people) she loves that she couldn’t find pictures of, such as herself and you!
4. Hang the picture up in a place of honor in your home…what a boost to your child’s self-esteem!