Laying the Foundation
My 8-month old grandson is growing by leaps and bounds. I now understand where the expression "bouncing" baby boy came from. Each day he reveals a new skill, a new expression, a new sense of awareness and curiosity, a new connection with his surroundings.
He's becoming more human everyday. And, I see his own unique "self" evolving. Fortunately, he is surrounded by people who love him - his mother and grandparents, cousins and great-aunt. He shares smiles and laughs freely and often. He shows determination, and is encouraged, applauded, for his accomplishments.
I am aware that our earliest interactions and relationships are the foundation upon which we build our self-esteem. Before we have any grasp of the language, our sense of self is shaped - if we are loved, we are lovable. If the people who love us, express their love and respect for each other, then we feel secure. The values of our most significant others embue their actions, and we begin to "learn" values through our observations and interactions.
This is a foundation that is sometimes difficult to unearth after we become adults. What has made us who we are? After years of growing, learning and changing - our intellect and our memory fail to connect or recall the experiences we had before words controlled our thoughts.
All grown-ups were children first. (But few remember it.)
My 8-month old grandson is growing by leaps and bounds. I now understand where the expression "bouncing" baby boy came from. Each day he reveals a new skill, a new expression, a new sense of awareness and curiosity, a new connection with his surroundings.
He's becoming more human everyday. And, I see his own unique "self" evolving. Fortunately, he is surrounded by people who love him - his mother and grandparents, cousins and great-aunt. He shares smiles and laughs freely and often. He shows determination, and is encouraged, applauded, for his accomplishments.
I am aware that our earliest interactions and relationships are the foundation upon which we build our self-esteem. Before we have any grasp of the language, our sense of self is shaped - if we are loved, we are lovable. If the people who love us, express their love and respect for each other, then we feel secure. The values of our most significant others embue their actions, and we begin to "learn" values through our observations and interactions.
This is a foundation that is sometimes difficult to unearth after we become adults. What has made us who we are? After years of growing, learning and changing - our intellect and our memory fail to connect or recall the experiences we had before words controlled our thoughts.
All grown-ups were children first. (But few remember it.)
--The Little Prince
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