Smiles of a Child

Is there anything more precious and inspiring than the smile of a child? Children are so trusting. It takes so little to bring those rays of sunshine to their little faces. Mostly they just need to know that someone cares.

When you do something for a child, such as give them an ice cream cone, or a new toy, most often the smile isn’t for the ice cream or the toy. The smile is because they know that someone cared enough to do something for them. They smile because they feel loved.

I was never able to have a child of my own. I have suffered with PCOS (poly-cystic ovarian syndrome) since I hit puberty. Pregnancy was possible but not very probable. For a lot of years I yearned for a child of my own – a baby, a little piece of my husband and me, to carry forth a legacy of us. Some memory of us together. As I grew older I realized I would not be having that baby.

At 47 years old now, I can look back and say that it was probably better that I didn’t have the child I wanted and craved so much. Over the years there have been children in my life who have needed a little extra love and attention. I could give them that because I didn’t have any of my own to use up my love and attention.

Neices, nephews, grandchildren (my husband had 3 boys before we met), friends’ children – they all became my children. I loved taking time with them. Taking them to the park to play. Taking them out to eat. Just being there with them.

I am still doing that whenever possible. There are still a lot of children in my life who need that little extra something. Maybe Mom and Dad are frazzled with the responsibilities of life. Taking the child off their hands for a while can give them a few minutes of their own to catch up on their own lives. Sometimes children just need advice and they can be more open with an adult who isn’t a parent who may judge or scold or punish.

Being a good parent involves putting the needs of the children first no matter what. It involves sacrifice. It can come with a lot of suffering and pain and heartache. Children can be unappreciative because they don’t realize the sacrifices their parents make to give them what they do. This is no reason for the parent to punish the child. They are too young yet to understand the trials of adulthood.

Being a good parent is making sure the child’s mental and emotional needs are met as well as their physical needs. Children need more love and caring than anything else. They need time with the adults. They need to learn how to love and respect others.

Children learn by example. They don’t listen to your words. Children don’t hear what you say. Children watch what you do. They learn from your actions. In my case, I hope the children in my life learn to love others. I want them to see that love is sometimes about sacrificing our own wants for the sake of another.

Today my day was made perfect with the smile of my young nephew. There was a school fundraiser in town and he really wanted an ice cream cone. My husband pulled out his wallet and we went to let my nephew get an ice cream cone. When his little tongue tasted the ice cream there was a smile that made the sun look like a burned out light bulb.

There is nothing brighter and more inspiring than the beautiful trusting smile of an innocent child. What can you do to bring more of these smiles into the world? Make today the day you help a child find a new smile.