Bukola Afolabi: 3 Reasons Why You Need to Celebrate Your Children

Nifemi bounced over to where her mother and I sat gisting, clutching her most cherished birthday gift- a fluffy teddy bear.

‘Mommy, when is my next birthday?’ she asked.

‘Nifemi’… her mom laughed and exclaimed; ‘Can’t you at least wait for this birthday party to be over before you start counting down to the next. There won’t be another birthday till next year baby.’

‘Next year will be here sooner than you think,’ I couldn’t help chipping in, amused at the eagerness of kids for birthdays and more birthdays.

I’m yet to meet a child who does not like being celebrated. And, while Children’s Day might not be one of the celebrations we pay much attention to as parents, we often leave it to schools or churches to do what they can, I believe it provides a valid opportunity to celebrate our bundles of possibilities.

This is not about the addition of another year or a popular festivity like Christmas; this is about who they are and the beauty of their presence in our lives and world. Just as Mother’s Day is often an opportunity for most people to reflect on the blessings of mothers in our lives and world, and we appreciate them based on these things. I believe Children’s Day can afford us such an opportunity too, to reflect on the blessings of having our children in our lives. And, not merely reflect on them, but find a way to communicate our thoughts to our children.

Some of the blessings we can be grateful for about our children this Children’s Day include:

The blessing of influence and significance
Can you remember the feeling of awe you had the first time you held your child in your arms? You felt privileged to have been a part of creating something so real and valuable, and you knew that your actions and life will count for the precious life you held in your arms.

Our children afford us the opportunity to be a part of another person’s life in a meaningful way, to share in the honour of nurturing, grooming, sacrificing, and living to make someone else life great. Giving of ourselves expands our lives and enriches us in ways beyond compare, and our kids provide us this amazing opportunity. And I believe they would love to know that we consider it a great privilege to be a meaningful, significant part of their lives.

If I was a kid, I would love to hear this-

I love that you are a part of my life. And that I am a part of yours. It’s an honour that cannot be quantified. I feel blessed and privileged to be your parent.

The blessing of witnessing firsthand the unfolding of a life
As a parent, you watch as this person evolve right before your eyes, with their unique talents, temperament, preference, personality, habits, ambition, etc. It’s a miracle to watch a life unfold right before our eyes.

If I was a kid, I would love to hear this-

I love watching you grow, evolve, and unfold into this amazing being. I love seeing bits and pieces of me in you, and other parts that are just completely, uniquely you! I love seeing you becoming, coming into your own. I am truly pleased to be a part of this unfolding process.

The blessing of hope and possibilities
We can hope, pray, dream, declare, desire, invest and do all that we do, but we might never fully know all that our children can become, the opportunities awaiting them, the possibilities within them; yet, there is nothing more satisfying than knowing that we had a part to play in the fanning to flame of these possibilities, even if our role was simply being an encourager, provider, and most importantly of all, being a parent.

If I was a kid, I would love to hear this-

The opportunities of the future are huge, the possibilities within you immense, and I take great joy in knowing that I can help prepare you to realise and maximise all that lay ahead of you. I feel blessed knowing that I will be a part of whatever you become.

I know parenting can seem overwhelming sometimes- bills to pay, habits to correct, growth to monitor, etc. But, it would significantly help to sometimes reflect on its blessings too, for then we will find the strength to keep pressing on.

Children’s Day is an opportunity to validate our children’s worth, importance and possibilities, regardless of how old or young they are! Tell them how much they mean to you, how much you believe in them and how proud you are of them. Do it deliberately. Make it a deliberate effort this Children’s Day to fill up your children’s esteem and sense of significance.

Let’s make this Children’s Day, and every future celebration, stand out in our children’s memory as a validating experience. Trust me, in life there are times we all need validating memories to recall…

Please feel free to leave a comment and share the blessings you’ve had the joy of experiencing with your children. Let’s inspire one another. Thank you!

Photo Credit: Foto.com.ng