Erin lost her daughter Sydney at just 3 weeks old. I think that gives you a unique perspective on life. This year, Erin's Christmas card included an excerpt from "Mitten Strings for God," by Katrina Kenison.
Kenison writes: "Being a mother today seems to require that we move too fast most of the time. Much as we may crave quiet interludes with our children, family mealtimes, and meaningful rituals, many of us have resigned ourselves to life without them. There may be days when we barely manage to bring the members of our family together in the same room at the same time -- let alone share our innermost thoughts, a joke or a moment of quiet intimacy."
Kenison talks about the quiet moments that parents and children really need to bond and get to know each other as their children grow and change. She challenges other mothers to protect and honor unscheduled time. She talks about the importance of reading a story to your kids by flickering candlelight and jokes that we manage to chauffer our kids to soccer tournaments and piano class but can't schedule the time for a quiet moment alone.
I'm going to listen to my friend who lost her daughter too young.
I'm going to start with a small gesture with my children and hope it leads to a deeper connection. The thought of blinking and missing their childhood just seems too frightening.
Read more Parenting Perspective blogs by visiting the Parenting Channel on 6abc.com.