Lessons in Motherhood

My spring cleaning has been a bit delayed this year. What is it? Mid Summer? It’s fine to start spring cleaning now, right?

Anyway, I decided to go through all of the girls’ toys to get rid of the baby toys. That’s always a scary thing because you feel like a burglar in your own house, trying to sneak things out before anyone notices. Well, I failed in my stealth operation, and Hailey came across a big pile of toys in the garage. Instead of throwing a fit (as I would have imagined), she told me that we didn’t need those toys anymore, and we should give them to children who need them.

That was good because that’s precisely where I was taking them. I asked her who she thought needed them. After naming every friend she has, I repeatedly explained to her that those children had lots of toys and what about children who didn’t have any toys. She thought about it for a while and decided that the only children who wouldn’t have lots of toys were the ones who were still in their Mommy’s bellies. Fair point.

That’s when I took the leap and tried to explain homelessness. That’s probably a lot for an almost 4-year-old to comprehend, but we regularly support a shelter for women and children in Atlanta called Genesis House. We love the work that they do, and I want Hailey to be involved so that she always appreciates her privilege.

Anyway, the best part was how long the conversation was and how much she contemplated these children who don’t have homes. My favorite part was when she said, “Well, maybe we could build them homes, Mommy.” If only it was that easy, Hailey.