The Sponges also known as kids

My son Owen surprises Andy and myself with some of what he picks up and repeats. Sometimes it is my sailor mouthed words that should not be spoken around a 3 year old... But other days it is stuff that makes us laugh and realize what we have a tendency to say often. Tonight it was "Babe", a rather common pet name for couples and one Andy and I use daily. So it started off like this.

(Owen looks back at me) "Hey. Hey Babe."

and continued somewhat like this,

(Me surprised) "What did you call me?! I'm Mama!"

(Owen smiling) "Hey Babe."

(Andy comes over and sits down.) "That's Mama, silly monster!"

(Owen turns to him) "Babe what do you want to drink?"

I always ask Andy what he wants to drink with meals quite similarly to how Owen asked Andy. It was too cute.

Kids are capable of learning language and routine, they learn and perfect so much. They rarely complain that it is hard and seem to enjoy the joy it gives to you. I think in our effort to teach our kids to keep them at or above the learning curve, to be a "bright" child, we lose sight of the truly amazing and wonderful thing we are accomplishing. We are teaching our children to speak, read, and how to behave in society. They are learning, sometimes not so willingly, but they eventually (with the right parental units...) learn.

So what I want for us to think about and revel in tonight is what extraordinary little creatures we are raising. How much they accomplish and learn in a month, or year. With that in mind think about what we want our kids absorbing in these first years of many in their lives. It is not just what we speak that they tune into, it is our day to day routine and habits, hopefully you will be happy with what your child(ren) are "sponging" off of your life.

So hopefully, Owen will go to the gym 5 days a week, eat home cooked meals at least 3/4 of all meals, pick up so it doesn't get too out of control in the house, take a lot of vitamins, and love family time. (He will also have a slight obsession with spicy condiments and have an uncontrollable urge to put it on all foods not sweet.)

Your little "sponge" is thirsty for knowledge, don't soak him in murky habits. We want them to be clean, healthy, and pure for as long as possible!