Anonymous
On a very hectic day when my husband and I were busy going in a hundred directions, our four-and-a-half-year-old son, Justin Carl, had to be reprimanded for getting into mischief. After several attempts, my husband George finally told him to stand in the corner. He was very quiet but wasnt too happy about it. Finally, after a few moments, he said,“Im goingtorunawayfromhome.”
“Okay, Jussie, you can run away from home,”I tenderly whispered as I started pickingoutclothes.“Well, wellneed pajamas, your coat.”“Mama,”he said.“What are you doing?”“Well also need my coat and nightgown.”I packed these items into a bag and placed itbythefront door.“Okay, Jussie. Areyousureyou wanttorun awayfromhome?”“Yeah, but where are you going?”“Well, if youre going to run away from home, then Mamas going with you, because I would never want you to be alone. I love you too much, JustinCarl.”
We held each other while we talked.“Why do you want to come with me?”I looked into his eyes.“Because I love you, Justin. My life would never be the same if you went away. So I want to make sure youll be safe. If you do go, I will go with you.”“Can Daddy come?”“No, Daddy has to stay home with your brothers. And Daddy has to work and take care ofthehousewhileweregone.”
He thought for a while and said,“Mama, can we stay home?”“Yes, Justin, we can stay home.”
In that moment I knew the wondrous gift of motherhood I had been given, that the sacred responsibilities to help develop a childs sense of security and self-esteem are nothing to be taken lightly. I learned that as a mother I should never“run away”from the opportunity to show my children they are wanted, important, lovable and the most precious gift from God.
在一個(gè)繁忙的日子,我和丈夫正忙得不可開交。四歲半的兒子賈斯廷·卡爾因?yàn)椴粩嗳鞘露艿接?xùn)斥。幾次努力均告無效后,丈夫喬治最后讓他站到角落里去。他頓時(shí)安靜下來,但有點(diǎn)悶悶不樂。過了一會(huì)兒,他說:“我要離家出走?!?/p>
“好啦,賈西,你可以離家出走?!蔽覝厝岬氐驼Z,并開始收拾衣服,“我們得帶上你的睡衣、外套?!薄皨寢專阍诟墒裁??”他說?!拔覀冞€得帶上我的外套和睡衣?!蔽野岩路M(jìn)包里并把包放在前門口,“好啦,賈西,你真的想離家出走嗎?”“是的,但你要到哪兒去?”“如果你要離家出走,那媽媽要跟你一起去,因?yàn)槲覜Q不讓你一個(gè)人孤孤單單的。我非常非常愛你,賈斯廷·卡爾。”
我們一邊說著一邊互相擁抱?!澳銥槭裁匆乙黄鹱??”我盯著他的眼睛:“因?yàn)槲覑勰?,賈斯廷。如果你走了的話,我的生活將永遠(yuǎn)改變,所以我要保證你安然無恙。如果你真的要走,我將跟你一起去?!薄澳前职肿邌??”“不,爸爸得在家和你的哥哥們在一起。爸爸得上班,得在我們不在的期間看家。”
他想了一會(huì)兒說:“媽媽,我們能留在家里嗎?”“當(dāng)然,賈斯廷,我們可以留在家里?!?/p>
在那一刻,我體會(huì)到了上帝賜予我的奇妙禮物:幫助孩子建立安全感,培養(yǎng)孩子的自尊,是為人母者決不可輕視的神圣責(zé)任。我明白了作為母親,我永遠(yuǎn)也不能錯(cuò)失表白的機(jī)會(huì),要隨時(shí)向孩子表明:他們是不可少的,是重要的,是可愛的,是上帝賜予的最寶貴的禮物。endprint