Last week, my teenaged daughter returned from a babysitting job with some very determined ideas about parenthood. Through observing the activities of a young child, she had decided that she does not want a television in her house!It sounds crazy, no? This teenager loves to read and enjoys being outside, and she wanted to share quality time with the little boy -- but he had no attention for anything other than dubious programming on television.
Later that evening, as she sat with a vintage reader from her childhood, she commented that she wants her children's lives to be like children had 60 years ago. "They got dressed up for parties and even wore dresses to play in! They were kind to each other. And look -- they worked together!"
Interestingly enough, she presently had opportunity to look through photos of herself as a child -- and she saw them with new appreciation. The world of play dresses, parties, and siblings had all but vanished by the time I was a little girl, but Rose saw and remembered that life had been that way for her. I like to sew and had provided inexpensive but feminine clothing -- and she had loving siblings who worked and played with her in a variety of situations. Because her own life has parallels with her dream, she has a frame of reference for ways she can create similar experiences for her future children.
Even with its ups and downs, life has been beautiful for her. For a mother, that is a dream-come-true.
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