WINSTON WEEKLY©[1]

February 23, 2025

Vol. 3, No. 8

A CHILD’S LOVE

As this month’s Winston Weekly ends, the love of and for a child is foremost on my mind. Although children have the uncanny ability to push every last nerve, their ability to learn, love, and grow is magical. Ashton Kutcher said following the birth of his child, “I immediately wanted to call my parents and just apologize because I never knew how much they loved me.”

A child’s perspective is but part of their magic. One parent was involved in this exchange at bedtime: “Mommy, I love you but we seem to have our differences.” Another parent said his son asked his nine-year-old grandson, “What did you learn at school today? The grandson replied, “Apparently not enough because I have to go back tomorrow.”[2]

When I work with children, I frequently combine reading and writing, regardless of their age. Their drawings, thoughts, and even their misspellings provide an understanding of who they are. Some of my favorite notes include:

“Thank you for letting us learn. Reading is so important. So is writing.”

“Thank you for the presentashon today. I hope your monkey does not git in trodle.”

“Thank you Alysen Bayles for the assembly. I loved the book.”

For those of you wondering about the monkey, I do not have one but we had one when I was a child. Children are delighted to hear about the naughty, smelly, and challenging monkey so central to understanding how brains work. You may have noticed that all the notes included the words, “Thank you.” I did not ask for them to be included but am struck by the fact that children often include those words in their notes. Despite the never-ending chaos and uncertainty around us, gratitude grounds us.

THIS WEEK’S ACTIVITY

Engage a child in a reading and writing activity of your choice or theirs. Some fun ideas include writing and reading about the moon, a bossy friend, dogs, school, or baking. Book options abound, including books by authors Allie Davis, Dorenda Doyle, Dr. Jim Price, and Liliana Tommasini.

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[1] A Sunday newsletter and blog by Alysen Bayles to be shared with the appropriate attribute.

[2] Resources: Funny Things Kids Say, www.positiveparentingsolutions.com; Reader’s Digest of Canada quotes about children, www.readersdigest.ca/culture/funniest-things-kids-said/; https://booksbydorenda.org; https://lilianatommasini.com; https://www.alliedavis.net; https://jimpricebooks.education.