LiG '09 report - Slice 3 - A little reminder

LIFE is Good concludes each year with a lovely little picnic over at Esther Somebody park, near the hotel. As I was walking over there yesterday morning, I ended up behind a local family (not part of the conference) who were also on their way to the park. It was a mom, dad, one or two adult friends, and a little boy about 4.

At one point, he stopped to fiddle with a shrub in front of the Hilton. His mom scolded him and started counting. Then she said, "Don't you want to go to the park and play?"

Of course he does! I wanted to (but was too-polite to actually) say. He just wants to enjoy the journey, too!

While she "dealt with" him, the other adults continued on without them. So, her next move was to encourage him to "race" to catch up, running on his little 15-inch legs to catch up with adults who were too rude to wait a half a freaking second while he looked at a shrub.

Let's rewind and see what that would have looked like if those people had been part of the conference.

Walking to the park with his parents and some friends one day, a little boy stops to fiddle with a shrub. All of the adults pause and chat amiably while he explores. One or two crouch down to explore with him, perhaps pondering why leaves are green and branches are brown, or why these leaves are shaped this way when those are shaped that way. After a minute or ten (it doesn't really matter), they continue on their way, setting their pace to match the little boy's or (dare I suggest it?) picking him up to get across that last street faster and join in the fun at the park.

It is in our smallest interactions with our kids that we reveal the most about how we feel about them. I wish what that little boy learned that day about how his parents view him had been nicer.