Children

Children

CHILDREN AND SPIRITUALITY

"I've learned that love is the most important thing of all. It's important to be patient and nurturing. Keep in mind that we aren't really here on this earth to master mathematics. Smiling and laughing with your children is just about the best feeling there is, so do it! When milk spills on the floor, make funny faces. When it rains outside, dance in it with your children. Love, love, love them!" - Gloria, mother of two Crystal Children and one Indigo Child

Children, whether they be our own, our nephews or nieces, or friends, are so important to our learning. Just as our own childhood shapes and moulds a lot of the person we are today, we can also learn a lot about ourselves from observing the children in our lives now.

Kids, especially young ones, have not yet learnt to behave in the socially accepted norm of our community. They are unrestrained and will say what they think, and generally, will speak the truth to you when possibly no-one else will. While it is important, as we get older to be gentle and kind, it is also important for us to speak our truth, EVEN if it may mean hurting someone we care about. This is a big way in which children can teach us - they can show us the way of TRUTH.

When children are hurt - they cry. When they are happy - they laugh and smile. Just as we did when we were kids. Then we learnt to hide our feelings. Perhaps we were taught it was not acceptable to cry (remember the saying "boys don't cry" - what a load of rubbish!!!) Or perhaps we had some tough lessons in our childhood that taught us how to close our hearts to happiness and love. Whatever your experience of childhood was, it is now time to accept what happened, acknowledge the experiences, release them, and move on. They are not to be feared or hidden. They shaped and moulded the person you are today, and they were designed perfectly, to teach you something important that your soul needed to learn in order to grow. And your childhood and every experience you had in it was chosen by.......YOU!! Yes that's right. I know it can be hard to understand this, but we choose our life before we come into this current incarnation - and that means we choose our parents, brothers, sisters and any other important person in our lives. We choose a particular life (no matter how traumatic it may be), because we know it will suit our soul growth PERFECTLY. This does not excuse other people's behaviour - but it may help you to understand and accept it for what it was - an opportunity for spiritual growth for you. Don't give away your power by blaming others for things that happened to you. All of your experiences in childhood, created a rich tapestry to make you the wonderful, magical person you are today. The best thing you can do for yourself is to acknowledge, accept and love your inner child who may still be stuck in the old pattern of trauma from many years ago. By accepting your childhood and forgiving all involved, you FREE YOURSELF to live your life fully and in perfect truth.

The soul craves truth. That is - YOUR truth. The most important person to be honest with is yourself. When you live in truth, when you truly value yourself enough to be truthful with yourself and others, then you live a life of freedom.

The children in your life, will point you the way towards truth. They see things so clearly, and have incredible insights that will amaze you, if you take the time to really listen to them. Let them awaken the inner child within you. Whether that child needs to be loved, to be allowed to play, to be nurtured or accepted, find your own inner child, and give him or her everything that they need. By observing the children in your life - you will start to understand yourself better. You will see behaviours in them, that will alert you to the fact you have some buried beliefs about yourself that need to be worked on.

Witness how a tiny baby loves absolutely everything about itself! Children and babies show us that we are perfect, whole and divine, and that everything about us needs to be loved. Notice how young children don't identify who they are by what they wear, what they look like or where they live. They understand that they are something special - they demand what they need, when they need it. See this in children and babies, and adapt it to yourself. Know that you are not the clothes you wear, or the house you live in, or even the role you play (mother, husband, friend, lover), you are a spiritual being having a human experience. You are a perfect reflection of the creator, and are connected to all other living things through a constant exchange of loving energy. That which you do to another, you do to yourself.

So, I believe that children pretty much have the right idea from birth, lets make the effort, NOT to teach them the dysfunctional ideas that were taught to us. Don't teach them that it is more important to value others opinions over their own. That is not truth - that is not God and that is certainly not love. Look to what the children in your life show you, and encourage them in their own truth and love. Endorse and support their efforts to love themselves and to value themselves. Show them that the answers are found within, and with love and acceptance, not from some external experience or place. Teach them, as they teach you, to value themselves, their ideas, their thoughts and their feelings. See the magic in life that children see everywhere, because life is not about accumulating possessions, or being the best in school. Life is about learning and love. That's it. Allow the children in your life to lead you back to the real you, to peace, love, happiness and self acceptance.

Some things I've found helpful with raising my children:

* Instead of saying "no" constantly - offer alternatives
* Try to always explain things in a positive context (you CAN do this, as opposed to you CAN'T do that)
* Hugs and cuddles nearly always cure everything
* Comfort your babies as they cry - don't shoosh them, it's their only means of communication
* Count to ten before you react
* Choose your words carefully - children are extremely receptive to everything you say
* Eliminate the word SHOULD - replace it with the word COULD - this gives choice
* Encourage your children to express their feelings, in a safe way (eg punching pillows if angry)
* Be kind to yourself - there are times when children stretch your patience - accept it, explain it and move on together

I want to elaborate on that last point. Raising children can and will push you to your limits of endurance. They have an amazing ability to bring up every little self doubt you have ever had. Every emotion that you have tried to bury - children find a way of bringing all of this out in you! At the time it may feel that it's too much, it's awful and that you don't want to deal with these issues. But please, try and see the positive side, and use it to your benefit. Mothers especially, can be very hard on themselves when it comes to bringing up their kids. There is something within us that wants to give our children the PERFECT childhood experience, and feeling failure every time they experience some sort of pain. Let me tell you....there is no such thing as a perfect childhood.....actually, another way of putting that is....every childhood is perfect, no matter what the experience! Each one of us - your children included - choose our own life and our own experiences. Whilst it is important as adults to protect our children, it is also very important to encourage their growth, and their independence. This has been a tough lesson for me - stepping back and allowing my kids to push themselves, to trust in themselves, and to become more independent. I have had to really dig deep to allow them the space to experience life and all the ups and downs that go with it, and to show them that I have confidence in them. I have had to consciously stop trying to jump in and 'save' them from every little experience, in case it might cause them some pain. It has not been easy, and I have to constantly go inward and carefully think about my actions. But ultimately, it is the best way for all of us. My children are going to experience some pain in their lives, for that is what they came down here to learn about. The best thing I can do for them, is to show them that they have the power, strength and ability to overcome anything that life throws at them. I don't want them to grow up being scared of life. I want them to embrace life, to experience fun and happiness, to be open to new experiences, and to see life as the magical world of possibilities that it is.

Don't fall into the habits that were taught to you growing up (unless they serve you well). When you hear yourself start to channel your parents with the same old words that were said to you, (and it doesn't feel good!) then alarm bells should be ringing. Be innovative - don't do things a certain way just because that was how you were raised. Look into your heart and you will know the best way to proceed with any situation. BREAK THE MOULD!! Be strong enough to challenge and question everything about how you were taught to raise children. Allow them to feel and experience emotions, not to hide them or stop them because they are not socially acceptable or they are inconvenient to deal with (ie a tantrum in public). Show your children you have confidence in them, no matter what, and teach them ways to deal with their emotions (kids are never too young to learn meditation!) Trust your instincts and above all, be true and kind to yourself. Look forward, not back. Your children chose you, because you would be the perfect parent for them. Remember that and honour yourself and the important work you are doing in raising them. Appreciate and love yourself, as you appreciate and love your children.

Life is about learning - but it's also about laughter, having fun, experiencing joy and most importantly being true to yourself. One of the best ways to experience all this is to see life through the eyes of a child. Allow your inner child out to play, to heal and to be loved. This is your way to freedom.

"Before you were conceived I wanted you, Before you were born I loved you, Before you were here an hour I would die for you. This is the miracle of life." - Maureen Hawkins

MY BOYS

COLOURS

Strips of white, red and grey
Green and yellow upon my bay
Dreaming white, dark black
And now a top hat
Come attack
On the shores the waters are blue
Violet and Indigo, Gold too
Silver yes, silver yes
And Gold I am told.

By Campbell J Lawrence (8)

NATHAN'S PICTURE

WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY
MY FRIENDS
ME, SAM, ARTHUR AND LOUIS

By Nathan Lawrence (6)

CAMPBELL'S PICTURE

WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY
MY SCHOOL,
MY TEACHER

By Campbell Lawrence (8)

TOM'S STORY

The Ultimate Story
by Tom Henry (6)

Once opon a time there was a boy named Black and his brother Speed. They lived in a house together. They went shopping to the video store and got a movie, and it was called Ultimate Invaders. It was scary for Speed because he was only 4 years old, and Black was 13. So, Speed didn't want to watch the Ultimate Invaders movie. So he went to his room and watched TV in there. He was playing in there for a while and then he started to watch TV again and then he played a video game named Ratchet and Clank. He was Ratchet and Clank was the computer guy and he was really good. But Speed beat him and he got onto the next level. And then he just lay down on his bed and he just smiled. And his brother was still watching Ultimate Invaders. And it was over then he clicked on special features and he found a funny joke. "Why did Black didn't watch Ultimate Invaders?" "Because he was Speed!"
And he told it to Speed and then their Mum and Dad bought them a car. And the car's name was Blackout. And the other car was called SpeedRacer and they drove in it and when they put their lights on the engine just lit up and zoomed away. They nearly crashed into another car and he said "What are you doing?" and they said "We're riding in a race car to the race track". They raced around the track. Black went to his bed and smiled too. Then he watched Toasted TV and he saw Ultimate Invaders movie and he asked his mum and dad if he could have the Ultimate Invaders movie and video game. He got the game and he got another game for Speed. And it was called Lego Indiana Jones. It was rated G, so he played it and got to be Indiana Jones' buddies. And he got to be one of the bad guys. He was the evil bad guy. Black was playing Ultimate Invaders game and he won the whole game!

The End

KATE'S PICTURE

Our Family
By Kate Henry (4)

EMAIL ME!

If you have children's pictures you would like me to post on here, please email them to me at Kerri@puresamtosha.co.uk and I will put them on the website. We chose the theme "what makes me happy", feel free to run with this, or your kids might have some other ideas!

INFORMATION ON CHILDREN

To go to books, cd's and dvd's on and for children click here.

"CHILD OF LIGHT.
A CHILD IS BORN SO MEEK AND SMALL,
A SHINING LIGHT TO BLESS US ALL.
THE TEARS OF INNOCENCE FALL DOWN HIS FACE
OH HEAVENLY JOY AND FULL OF GRACE.
THE LIGHT HE BRINGS SHINES FROM ABOVE
TO BLESS MANKIND WITH ALL HIS LOVE.
AS TIME GOES BY, HIS WISDOM GROWS,
HIS THOUGHTS AND KNOWLEDGE,
A SWEET REPOSE.
HE TOUCHED MANKIND WITH PEACE
AND HEAVENLY LOVE,
THE PUREST SPIRIT THE WHITEST DOVE.
SO DEAREST FATHER FROM ABOVE,
PLEASE SEND IN ME YOUR GUIDING LOVE,
THAT I MAY HELP MY FELLOW MAN
TO SERVE AND GUIDE AS BEST I CAN." -
K D.GREEN