When Tommy broke his mother's favorite vase after she had asked him repeatedly to stop throwing the ball in the house, for a moment she thought she would come unglued. He quietly picked up the broken vase and brought it to her, and she could see that he had learned a painful lesson. They talked about what had happened, and he promised never to throw the ball in the house again. And he didn't. Breathe, breathe, breathe, and think before you act, so that once again you can feel the extraordinary sweetness of your child.
Nothing is more important than handling their bodies and souls with tender loving care.
Copyright 1996 by Judy Ford. Reprinted here with permission from Conari Press. This essay may be printed out for personal use but may not be reproduced in any manner, including electronic, without prior written permission from the publisher. To purchase this and other great parenting books, please peruse TNPC's Mall.