May 01, 2019
I have a lot of Mary Engelbreit’s art and quotes displayed throughout my house. Many years ago, my friend Catherine gave me a mug that reads, “Bloom Where You’re Planted.” This has become one of my favorite “mom” sayings. I want my children to know that they can become what they need to become in various situations. Life is unpredictable and we are “planted” in so many different scenarios – some good, some not so good. I want my children to know that they can weather the ups and downs of life and learn to make the best of every opportunity.
This saying also presented a new meaning to me recently as I was listening to NPR and the host was discussing a new book and its philosophy about raising children. In Alison Gopnik’s book, The Gardener and the Carpenter, she proposes that there are two kinds of parenting styles: gardeners and carpenters. She writes about how the “carpenter” parent thinks their child can be built into a certain type of adult while the “gardener” provides a safe place for the child to grow and become their unique self. I strive to be a “gardener.”
It’s so hard sometimes to let your children be themselves, especially when you have such a different idea in your mind. My youngest son definitely pushes the limit more than my older two children ever have, and I bite my tongue A LOT! But, ultimately, I want them to bloom where they’re planted and the only way they can do that is if they have been given that direction all along. As long as they’re safe and not hurting anyone or themselves, I think it’s good to let them explore and, dare I say, maybe even make a mistake or two.
Summertime, which is just around the corner, is the best time to discover the world around you. In the article, “11 Things Every Child Should Do This Summer,” Christa Melnyk Hines writes about the many opportunities we have to enjoy endless summer days and the community around us. In Kern County, we have so much nearby that we can hike a canyon one day, visit a historical living museum the next, and pick berries right off the vine the next day. To find out ways you can keep your little ones entertained this summer, turn to page 16.
One of the most challenging areas where I have had to be a “gardener” with my children is with my kids’ unique clothing choices. I have definitely learned to appreciate a sense of style that is in direct contrast with mine. In this month’s Humor at Home, Julie Willis writes about this very conundrum in her article, “So Many Clothes, So Little Time: Finding the Perfect Cowgirl Outfit,” on page 22. Her daughter had to find the perfect “cowgirl” attire for her school’s Farm Camp parade and costume contest. With a little negotiating and revising outfits, disaster was averted, and she ended up looking perfect!
Thanks to Jim and Brandi Bailey, owners of Broken Yolk Café, for planning an amazing Mother’s Day Brunch to celebrate all moms and women in our lives on Sunday, May 12, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. To read about their moms and grandma and the influences they have had, not only in their lives but with their restaurants as well, you can read the article, “Celebrate Mother’s Day at Broken Yolk’s Brunch: Treat Mom With a Meal to Remember,” on page 14.
Whether you’re planting a garden in your back yard this summer, visiting a local farmers’ market, or being a “gardener” to your children and letting them explore, remember these delicate seeds can become amazing flowers if you just give them the love they need. This last month of school has all kinds of craziness and business with end-of-the-year activities and events, but just remember – summer is in sight!
Happy Mother’s Day to all you AMAZING women!
This saying also presented a new meaning to me recently as I was listening to NPR and the host was discussing a new book and its philosophy about raising children. In Alison Gopnik’s book, The Gardener and the Carpenter, she proposes that there are two kinds of parenting styles: gardeners and carpenters. She writes about how the “carpenter” parent thinks their child can be built into a certain type of adult while the “gardener” provides a safe place for the child to grow and become their unique self. I strive to be a “gardener.”
It’s so hard sometimes to let your children be themselves, especially when you have such a different idea in your mind. My youngest son definitely pushes the limit more than my older two children ever have, and I bite my tongue A LOT! But, ultimately, I want them to bloom where they’re planted and the only way they can do that is if they have been given that direction all along. As long as they’re safe and not hurting anyone or themselves, I think it’s good to let them explore and, dare I say, maybe even make a mistake or two.
Summertime, which is just around the corner, is the best time to discover the world around you. In the article, “11 Things Every Child Should Do This Summer,” Christa Melnyk Hines writes about the many opportunities we have to enjoy endless summer days and the community around us. In Kern County, we have so much nearby that we can hike a canyon one day, visit a historical living museum the next, and pick berries right off the vine the next day. To find out ways you can keep your little ones entertained this summer, turn to page 16.
One of the most challenging areas where I have had to be a “gardener” with my children is with my kids’ unique clothing choices. I have definitely learned to appreciate a sense of style that is in direct contrast with mine. In this month’s Humor at Home, Julie Willis writes about this very conundrum in her article, “So Many Clothes, So Little Time: Finding the Perfect Cowgirl Outfit,” on page 22. Her daughter had to find the perfect “cowgirl” attire for her school’s Farm Camp parade and costume contest. With a little negotiating and revising outfits, disaster was averted, and she ended up looking perfect!
Thanks to Jim and Brandi Bailey, owners of Broken Yolk Café, for planning an amazing Mother’s Day Brunch to celebrate all moms and women in our lives on Sunday, May 12, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. To read about their moms and grandma and the influences they have had, not only in their lives but with their restaurants as well, you can read the article, “Celebrate Mother’s Day at Broken Yolk’s Brunch: Treat Mom With a Meal to Remember,” on page 14.
Whether you’re planting a garden in your back yard this summer, visiting a local farmers’ market, or being a “gardener” to your children and letting them explore, remember these delicate seeds can become amazing flowers if you just give them the love they need. This last month of school has all kinds of craziness and business with end-of-the-year activities and events, but just remember – summer is in sight!
Happy Mother’s Day to all you AMAZING women!
