Giving them my presence...

A couple of years ago, around Christmas time, I read a quote in my Mothering Magazine and it has really stuck with me. It said something to the effect of, " The best gift you can give your children this year is your presence." Pretty powerful, right?

It's interesting because I feel like that gets harder as they get older. When they were babes, I pretty much adopted the mentality that the best way to go about mothering twin babies was to just be with them. At all times. When I would try to get anything else done, it would pretty much end in frustration. But then they hit three, and they started playing together independent of me a lot. I started to get things done, successfully developing a cleaning schedule, cooking more frequently, etc. Awesome! But I feel like giving them my presence is harder, because the need for it isn't as obvious, and honestly, it's easier to shrug off. There are things to be done! Today, though, that quote kept coming into my mind. So, when Amelia asked if we could play this game we read about in a book, I paused and then said YES! Even though it involves going outside in the late afternoon chill, even though we need to get to the bank, even though I don't remember where we read about the game or what exactly we are supposed to do...









Ahhhh, it was was so much fun! Just letting things go, really playing with them, giving them my full presence. Mamas are often with their little ones a lot, but I think we need reminders sometimes to put down the laundry, sit on the floor and give them our presence. I never regret it.

All for now, Jen