Sharing Childhood

:: Sharing the arrival on the canal of the first cygnets of the season, we were lucky enough to meet this cute family on our way to school. We will be able to watch them grow as the weeks pass ::

:: Visiting the market and allowing Little B to choose his own fruit snack. We took home two punnets of gorgeously sweet strawberries and a brown paper bag full of juicy cherries ::

:: Watching with delight as the Little Peeps fold a fleet of paper aeroplanes and engage in day after day of excited flying. This is J's own childhood method which he has taught the LP and it is bloomin' good! I'll share it with you sometime ::

:: Happiness as Little Man rediscovers the joy of his long forgotten colouring books. We sat for a short while one morning after breakfast and coloured together, just as we did when he was much smaller ::

:: Passing on my own love of nature, I encourage the Little People to run their fingers through this hedge of newly unfurled beech leaves as we walk to and from school each day. It is such a simple, tactile pleasure, delighting in the fluttery softness of the leaves on our fingertips ::

:: Stopping at the bakers to treat Little B on our way home from nursery one lunchtime. He chose this chocolate crispie which was too crumbly to eat as we walked along, prompting us to detour to a bench beside the canal. He ended up sharing his crumbs with the local pigeons, which he loved ::

:: Talking to this bold pigeon who hopped up on the bench beside us, I love the way that children talk to animals as if they are good friends ::

:: Lots of outside play at the moment as the weather is warm and the days long. I spent half an hour after dinner this evening preparing an arsenal of water balloons for a street water fight. I loved hearing the shrieks of half a dozen children happily playing ::

:: Encouraging the children to pick up after themselves and look after our environment. I felt instantly inspired by that little basket of pure colour! ::

♥

There is often a collection of rather random photos that sit on my camera after a week of living life. Many of them are Lucy-focused (lots of crochet, blue skies, cups of coffee, bowls of salad, jugs of flowers etc etc) but this past week I noticed I had captured quite a lot of moments which relate to my three wonderful Little People. Images which describe the various activities they choose to busy themselves with, images which merge with my own interests. I teach them to be creative, to look up at the sky, to appreciate the beauty of colour and nature, to respect each other and to have fun. I love to watch them play, I love to watch them explore and learn. I often feel the weight of the responsibility we have as parents to shape these childhood minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years as best we can, to give as much as we can, as often as we can. It is a full time job and then some! I love to observe their games, to try and laugh as paper aeroplanes land in the breakfast, as water balloons burst over the floor. Our house is often chaotic, noisy, boisterous. Back and front doors both wide open, a gang of children racing through, chasing, laughing. I am in the middle of it all trying to cook dinner, answering the phone, chatting to neighbours, picking random objects up off the floor, mopping up water, changing wet clothes, drying tears, keeping the peace. I am blessed to be sharing these childhood years, life is so full!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

♥...more little snippets from the Attic...♥

Waterside Wandering

Colour In & Out

Autumn Colour

Making me Happy

Tales from Connievan :: Summer Loving

Comments

[Susan]

I love to colour in colouring books - and I'm turning 45 in a couple of weeks :)

[Barb]

Oh your perspective on mummyhood is like a ray of sunshine - I love the way your express it Lucy! Your blog is a delight to my soul whenever I pop on, reminding me that the simple joys are the sweetest.

[Carly]

This sounds like the best childhood, oh wow. Watching a family of swans grow up, spontaneous water balloon fights--man oh man. I wanna have another childhood, haha!

[Litl Bits]

Your description of watching your Little Peeps grow brings back such wonderful memories of my own four growing up - and enjoying the simple pleasures of life with them..we loved to watch the Momma robins teaching their chicks how to forage for their food - and the foibles of the chicks learning to fly...how those years flew by - and now there are six grandsons and one granddaughter! - all live way too far away and I only get to see them on rare occasions...
Enjoy those moments, Lucy....they fly by so very fast!
I still miss having my little ones around. I have been richly Blessed....I recall my Dad when he neared his end - he was sitting watching the grandchildren and the seven of us and the ensuing noise around the house....and he declared, "I'm the richest man on this earth!"....I now know exactly what he meant...

[Val E]

Hi Kaitlin (earlier post). The colouring book looks like an USBORNE Doodling and Colouring book for Boys? Have a look on Amazon….good luck.

[Rose]

Dear Angela-Southern USA,
This is a public blog and would like to think that all respectfully voiced opinions are welcome. I find it perplexing that any dissenting opinions are met with so much ferocity. Could this be reader censorship?
Your comment is not nice, in fact it is a personal attack wrapped in sarcasm.
Wishing you a truly great day
Rose

[Angela-Southern USA]

Jem & Jean: You know, you don't have to "visit" this blog if you find it so offensive... (My mother taught me to be nice to others...)I hope the two of you find some joy in life, somewhere.

[Kat]

This made my eyes prickle ... just beautiful. I love, love, love your blog :-)

[Ada Bea]

When our girls were little we both job shared so could look after the girls equally, this worked so well and I cherish those times, and think it helped us get a solid foundation for our family life. Not sure if you got my parcel yet, I should imagine you've been swamped with mandalas....but I hope you like it! :) x

[Jean]

Regarding the comment by Jem Harrison (21st May,5.42 pm) - these could have been my words exactly.

Whilst I enjoy the craft content of this blog I also find the rest of it to be so smug - with never a thought of those who have less, much much less.

This post topped it all.

[Elena K]

Absolutely lovely :) I have a soft spot for baby animals and those cygnets make my heart melt. As for pigeons, my husband and I on our first trip back to his homeland were hassled by one particular pigeon which we named Porky....now whenever we see a pigeon we exclaim it's Porky's (enter nationality) cousin :)

[Jem Harrison]

This is horribly smug and self congratulatory. Most people are trying to raise their children to be responsible, thoughtful and mindful of all that's precious and important in life, even though that life for some is an unbelievable struggle.
This isn't sharing, it's boasting . Plain and simple. So angry .

[Malama Xida]

our treasure is our children! need to beware as our eyes and do the best for them!

[aishwarya shanbhag]

Parenting is a joy to some and a woe to few..... I enjoy my days as a mother too. These little moments are a treasure. Now, for us... to them when they are adults. Great going Lucy....

[Jill]

You must be a fabulous mother! I'm now noticing these things with my grandchildren, it's like being given a second chance. You are so wise to enjoy the fleeting moments of your children's days.

[SparklePetal]

Thank you for sharing the miscellaneous parenting snippets :) I love your creative, colourful crochet life, but it's the camaraderie of living a mummy-life alongside you that really makes your blog unmissable for me. I think your Little People know that you are the absolute perfect Mummy for them, and I do hope that you fully realise it too xxx

[Alexandrea]

So much awesomeness about this post: the magical duck picture, that awesome coloring book, but most of all how you describe "sharing these childhood year"...what a perfect way to word it. Everyday I just feel so grateful that I get to partake in my little one's childhood.

[Gillian]

This post really resonated with me Lucy. You are giving your children the most wonderful childhood and your house sounds like a very happy place to be. Xx

[Heather L.]

Love all the pictures and the simple pleasures of childhood! Hoping to be around my house today and, in the midst of lots of housework, enjoy the children -- we are all off school for the summer now.

[Dinahsoar]

It's a wonderful life. I always love your pictures and the words you share.

[Mitzi]

Enjoy this time Lucy as all too soon your little peeps will be big and making new lives for themselves.

[Addie]

Hello Lucy, I have never commented on anyone's blog before - never felt brave enough - so just enjoying reading other people's and shying away from adding my own thoughts. But this morning, I felt compelled after stumbling across Flora's contribution. I would like to say a huge thank you Lucy, for always providing such lovely glimpses into your world and allowing us to share your streams of consciousness. I always feel better for having read your journals! To Flora, I would urge you to read the post again; believing you have completely misinterpreted the sentiments and message. There, I've done it! Feel better now. And the sun is shining still !!

[Emma]

Oh Lucy, how gorgeous. I've captured my moments with Littlest this week too. She has invented a thing called 'nature club' where she and I go roaming about in search of wild flowers and ladybirds and woodlice. We made a den in a wood with sticks and there are SO many daisychains made each time. I didn't rush. I didn't think about laundry or commissions or housework. I just stopped and joined in. It was bloody ace and reminded me of a poem my Grandad used to read to me: Spring Morning. When I typed it out on my blog I admit to feeling rather wiffly.

[Bernice]

Such a lovely post Lucy. So honest and charming. It makes you realise how lucky we are, and sometimes never stop to enjoy it. Thank you x

[Mahek]

Hi
Love your daily photos showing your day to day life, puts a spring in my step...
I love that colouring book, one question dont those colours blot through the paper on the other side and if not which are they?? will check out if they are available in India...