What parent doesn't think her child is special? Yes, we all know there are 7 billion of us on the planet. But nonetheless parents know that each and every member of that enormous human cloud is unique. So let's celebrate it!A tidbit I gleaned from The Parent You Want To Be had to do with being a Celebratory Parent. The authors' idea is that when we celebrate milestones in our children's lives in a meaningful way, we:
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- show them that they are loved
- appreciate and value their unique "person-ness"
- demonstrate how well we know them, how conscious we are of their developments
Being a Celebratory Parent does NOT mean:
- telling our children that they are the most amazing person in the whole world
- celebrating in a lavish way that costs a lot of money
- marking every small moment ("Oh, you found a new rock today for your rock collection! Let's have a party!" Unless, of course, it is actually significant that he found a rock...)
A celebration that doesn't require me to vacuum or tidy? This I can do!
For example, when one of our sons mastered the potty and transitioned to "big boy underpants," we all went out for ice cream. While we were enjoying our cups and cones, my partner and I made mention of his reaching this milestone and told him we were proud of him for working hard. No pony rides, no confetti, no diamond-encrusted Hot Wheels. But the fact that he was entering a new stage was noted and celebrated.
We also have a family tradition to celebrate birthdays. But that's for another post...
How about you? Any "milestone celebration" stories?
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