“Loving Your Children Well” was the focus for the second of our April series on The Hidden Heart of Homemaking. During our time together, we talked about the value of children’s literature, not only for children, but also for grown-ups. Brookie Moore, wife, mother of six and grandmother of two shared with us the ways in which children’s literature can enhance OUR imagination.
Mother’s Secret Sauce
“I love you right up to the moon,” he said, and closed his eyes. “Oh, that’s far, said Big Nutbrown Hare. That’s very, very far.” Big Nutbrown Hare settled Little Nutbrown Hare into his bed of leaves. He leaned over and kissed him good night. They he lay down close by and whispered with a smile. “I love you right up to the moon and back.” (Guess How Much I Love You, by Sam McBratney)
Many evenings, when my children were young, I sounded more like a drill sergeant ordering his troops than a Mommy tucking her children into bed. I spat out the commands, one after another: “Brush your teeth. Put your dirty clothes into the hamper. Hurry. Stop fighting. Get your clothes out for school tomorrow. Get on your PJs. Get another towel to clean up the spilled water. Get into bed. Say your prayers. Lights out.”
Then came the story time. How can you possibly read the words of Big Nutbrown Hare and not give pause. That story helped me imagine a better bedtime routine; I made some intentional shifts in how the children were put to bed.
When another issue arose in our household, again a children’s book inspired me. There was a season when my kids complained about nearly everything I served for dinner. I tried time outs. I tried not letting them leave the table until they finished. I tried threatening a meeting with a wooden spoon. I tried begging, screaming. Clearly I was outnumbered six to one, and my husband, the peacemaker in the home, was just trying to keep dinnertime from completely imploding each night. Then I read Bread and Jam for Francis, and again changed my tactic. (If you don’t know the story, you might not understand my madness.) I gave my children a vote. If they didn’t like what I served, I would offer them one—and only one substitute; they all agreed on the substitute—hotdogs. Every time one of them complained about the food over the next few days, their plate was quietly removed, and they were served a hot dog. It worked. Five of my six actually stopped complaining, because they got sick of hot dogs. But for the sixth kiddo I had to try the Green Eggs and Ham method, switching from force-feeding to offering a different packaging. This kid would drink any veggie as long as it was blended with fruit.
If books shaped me, children’s books improved me, challenged me, and gave me needed perspective. Eustace Clarence Scrubb (The Voyage of the Dawn Treader) was my guy. I felt that parenting often felt like layers and layers of scales were being scraped off of me. I began to embrace the journey, not the destination (The Horse and the Boy), when I calculated that I’d been to a doctor’s office at least once a week for seventeen consecutive weeks. New baby, sick children, well baby checkups, flu, chicken pox. It was all about embracing the journey.
Finally, my all-time favorite children’s book is an adaptation from Tolstoy: Papa Panov’s Special Day. I still can’t read it without sobbing, and this has been going on for twenty-five years. Papa Panov can’t imagine. But Jesus awakens him and shows Papa all of the many ways He has come to him. It’s so beautiful, giving dignity and purpose to every action and interaction of our lives.
Books are good, and because I’m a simple person, children’s literature is my favorite kind of reading. Books have improved the story of my life and my family’s life.
Your life also is a story, and all of us are reading it. I dare you to reach out to a young mom and be her friend. Call a mom with teenagers and find out what their kiddos do well. Ring up a new grandma, and let her tell you all about that new grandbaby. Be bold enough to just listen. Affirm. Share great books with her. Let these books be the teachers that they are, while you get to be her friend.
Brookie Moore
On Wednesday, April 18, Linda Huffman will be sharing her insights regarding The Welcoming Home. While in some circles, hospitality has become something of an art form, Linda will be giving us a biblical perspective that goes beyond the right combinations of table settings, guest lists, menu, etc. You won’t want to miss Linda’s presentation (much of which will come from her own open heart/open home experiences), as she challenges us to move beyond carefully planned events to welcoming others as Christ has welcomed us.
12:30 to 2:00 p.m., The Multi-Purpose Room, Building 207, 3rd floor @ the Willows, 213 S. Woods Mill Rd., Chesterfield, MO 63017. For information, call Karen Bacon 314-406-7073.