Mother’s Time with Child & Quotes on Children (March 2011)

Susan's Thursday morning note March 3, 2011 
Thoughts That Inspire, Vol. 2 by George Knox 
Poem on mother's time with her child
Quotes on children

Good morning!  We’ve made it to March…known as “the cruelest month” – why did I have to read that the first day of the month?  I’ve kept the thought, “the almost awakened month” – where I know the tulips underground are working hard to soon make their appearance!!  I marked a poem on having time to spend with our children this week and hope you find the same encouragement from it (without the guilt!)  This was written in the early 1900’s, once again showing us that feeling the pressure of time to ourselves and time with our children remains an eternal struggle.  The quotes underneath the poem encourage me, make me laugh, and keep me realizing that I must continually try – over & over again to learn from parents before me, realizing we all feel guilt for our use of time, but we need to feel the struggle of balancing everything…never a comfort level….always trying to be who we can be as parents, or as mentors and friends of children near us.

      Two Religions by Julia (Bernie) Babcock
I.  A woman sat by a hearthstone place
Reading a book, with a pleasant face,
Till a child came up with a childish frown
And pushed the book, saying, “Put it down.”
Then the mother, slapping his curly head,
Said, “Troublesome child, go off to bed;
A great deal of Christ’s life I must know
To train you up as a child should go.”
    And the child went off to bed to cry,
    And denounce religion – by-and-by.

II.  Another woman bent o’er a book
With a smile of joy and an intent look,
Till a child came up and jogged her knee,
And said of the book, “Put it down – take me.”
Then the mother signed as she stroked his head,
Saying softly, “I never shall get it read;
But I’ll try by loving to learn His will,
And His love into your heart instill.”
    That child went to bed without a sigh,
    And will love religion – by-and-by.

Making the decision to have a child is momentous.  It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.  Elizabeth Stone

When you have brought up kids, there are memories you store directly in your tear ducts.  Robert Brault

We can’t form our children on our own concepts; we must take them and love them as God gives them to us.  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

It behooves a father to be blameless if he expects his child to be.  Home

The quickest way for a parent to get a child’s attention is to sit down and look comfortable.  Lane Olinghouse

There are two lasting bequests we can give our children.  One is roots.  The other is wings.  Hodding Carter, Jr.

My mom used to say it doesn’t matter how many kids you have…because one kid’ll take up 100% of your time so more kids can’t possibly take up more than 100% of your time.  Karen Brown

You will always be your child’s favorite toy.  Vicki Lansky

Give me the life of the boy whose mother is nurse, seamstress, washerwoman, cook, teacher, angel, and saint, all in one, and whose father is guide, exemplar, and friend.  No servants to come between.  These are the boys who are born to the best fortune.  Andrew Carnegie

Smack your child every day.  If you don’t know why – he does.  Joey Adams

Insanity is hereditary – you get it from your kids.  Sam Levenson

Children are like wet cement.  Whatever falls on them makes an impression.  Haim Ginott

A young lady is a female child who has just done something dreadful.  Judith Martin

When you teach your son, you teach your son’s son.  The Talmud

A child enters your home and for the next twenty years makes so much noise you can hardly stand it.  The child departs, leaving the house so silent you think you are going mad.  John Andrews Holmes

Parents are not interested in justice; they are interested in quiet.  Bill Cosby

The trouble with being a parent is that by the time you are experienced, you are unemployed.  Author Unknown.

The trouble with having a stubbornness contest with your kids is that they have your stubbornness gene.  Robert Brault

I love little children, and it is not a slight thing when they, who are fresh from God, love us.  Charles Dickens.

The only thing worth stealing is a kiss from a sleeping child.  Joe Houldsworth

There once was a child, and he strolled about a good deal, and thought of a number of things.  He had a sister, who was a child too, and his constant companion.  These two used to wonder all day long.  They wondered at the beauty of the flowers; they wondered at the height and blueness of the sky; they wondered at the depth of the bright water; they wondered at the goodness and the power of God who made the lovely world.   Charles Dickens

Latin for this week:
Ab imo pectore - From the bottom of my heart.
Qvalis pater talis filivs - Like father like son.
Sunt pueri pueri, puerilia tractant - Children are children, (therefore), children do childish things.
Alma Mater - Nourishing mother.

Works Cited:
Knox, George H.  Thoughts that Inspire, Vol. II.  Des Moines.  Personal Help Publishing Co.  1906.