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Thursday, January 21, 2010

too smart for their own good


i just came across this photo the other day from an old neighbor friend. and along with it came so many childhood memories flooding through my mind. this is the neighborhood that i grew up in. i am standing here on the far right with my sister and the two neighbor friends that we played with most of our childhood. i think that i am about six and my sister would be four. as i sit here and look at myself so many years ago, i can still remember so vividly some of the thoughts and feelings that i experienced at this age and even younger and how those memories of my childhood formed who i am today. sometimes, i think we do not realize how much of life that children are aware of. truly, they are probably too smart for their own good. we think, "oh they are just kids, they do not really understand what is going on." but, let me tell you they understand so much more than we think that they do. i can remember how i thought at age six and when i think about it now, i realize we do not give kids enough credit for how intelligent that they are concerning awareness of the people in their life. i could see through people's masks even then. i knew who was for real. i knew who lived in lies. and, i knew it when someone just needed to be accepted and befriended. all that i am today is the result of the learning experiences of friendships and life that i had as a kid. i need to remember that the same is true for my own children. they are so much smarter and more aware that i have realized. definitely, too smart for their own good.




33 comments:

Valerie said...

Hi Christy Rose.

First off...thanks so much for the last few visits and comments that you've left on my blog! I've been so under the weather lately, that I have barely been posting, let alone visiting those that I follow or who have left me comments. Shame on me! Hoping and praying that I feel better soon as I hit that 2nd trimester on SATURDAY!!! Wooo Whooo!

Anyway, your post today is so meaningful and filled with truth. I just posted on facebook the other night that I caught Mary Catherine (our 5-year old) going down to the basements pantry. When I asked her what she was doing, she replied, "getting food for the kids in Haydee" (Haiti)

How sweet is that?!!! She certainly has a heart of gold and definitely is taking in more and more from the world around here and processing that information. And to think she's only 5!

I also enjoyed reading your post about the 6 fascinating facts about yourself. I think it is so neat that you have returned to your hometown and your kiddos are now attending your old schools, but the SAME TEACHERS...hmmmm! (As a former teacher, don't even get me started on the plight of public education in the United States....that being said, I'm sure your kiddos' teachers are GREAT...they did an awesome education you!)

Many blessings,
Valerie

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

A good word for this mother's heart who sometimes says the wrong things to her children; certainly sometimes gives them the wrong impression, even when I didn't intend to do so.

How well I remember the fragile days of my youth; some good memories, some painful. True, they shape us over the years. How thankful I am for a God who shapes bigger--who allows us to move past some of the "junk" to take hold of his "more."

Great thoughts, friend.

peace~elaine

Amanda said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog! I'm really glad I came to check yours out! I really loved this post, and I totally agree. Kids really are way more perceptive than they're given credit for.

Liz {Learning To Juggle} said...

I think I needed this today. I forget sometimes that at almost 4 Tommy is really aware of what is going on around him. He KNOWS what is happening, remembers what we say and do. I need to start giving both my boys more credit.

Andrea said...

I love this picture. What a priceless find! You are soooo right about kids being "too smart for their own good." We definitely do not give them enough credit.
Blessings, andrea

Darcie said...

Don't you just love these old pictures? Often times I don't remember a whole lot, UNTIL I look at a picture and then memories will start flooding back.

You are so right...our kids understand and perceive so much more than we give them credit for.

Nel said...

Well said my new friend! Kids are so smart, we were too, and we were aware of what was going on around us, but I still think they are smarter nowdays...lol. My grandbaby is 3 and she totally amazes me sometimes.
Thanks for sharing!

until next time... nel

Tara said...

I remember a situation to this very day of when I was maybe 3 and staying at an in-home daycare. The lady was sneaking in a man after her husband would leave for work. When parents would bring their kids to drop off, the man would hide in the kitchen. She would make all the kids go to bed and I don't know what they were doing though I can imagine. Even at 3 years old, I knew it was wrong and I told my parents about it. They moved me from there in no time.

Lesli said...

Christy.. you are SOOOO right.. It is amazing to me what are kids soak in....they are so smart and they do not forget anything!! I love your picture.. that is priceless!!

Lisa said...

That is certainly true! Great post and one to get us parents thinking!

Brandi said...

So true! I know mine are certainly too smart for their own good. ;)

~*Michelle*~ said...

What a beautiful reminder to share.....this was very convicting. So often I find myself not giving the amount of credit and respect that I should with my children...but then I realize that only when we have child-like faith will we be rewarded.

Anonymous said...

Great picture!

And yes, kids are definitely smarter than they appear!

Beth E. said...

What a sweet picture! I also have very vivid memories from when I was very young...about 3-4 years. Children see, hear, and know much more than they're given credit for.

Mrs. M said...

Yes, I agree completely and I try to remember that in my daily interactions with them.

Hope you are having a wonderful day!

RCUBEs said...

Kids might not say much but it doesn't mean they don't know anything. That's a cute picture BTW...Blessings.

Kristin said...

Before I even read your post, I could totally tell that was you on the right....so cute!!

I think you're absolutely right. I remember how much I knew and how grown up I thought I was at around 12-13, and the things my Mom let me do in high school at 14-15, and being a Mom myself, I think that I would never let my girls do those things! Not anything bad, but I just cannot imagine letting my 14-15 year old go somewhere like the mall all by herself, yet I know it's coming. You know what I mean? The things we thought we knew at that age, and we did know, and I just don't see my own daughter at age 9 being grown up like that in a few short years. It's hard to accept when you're the Mom!

Kathleen said...

What a wonderful reach into your childhood! And I dare say you haven't changed much (that's a compliment!) either.

So many of my values center on what I learned long before I was ten. Much of it's "thanks" to my parents, but so too life (and the Lord's mysterious, often unseen work even then).

Great reminder.

Kathleen

Bridget said...

You are so right! Kids are much smarter than we realize!!

Kimberly said...

So true! I see it in Aiden's responses big time! At three years old, he is wiser than me in some areas of life, and he gets things so readily whereas I over process.
Thank you for the reminder!

Cheesemakin' Mamma said...

I agree. I remember so many things about my childhood. It is good to remember this as we parent are children. I think it will help us stay accountable.

Thanks for the sweet comments on our remodel!

Love,
Jackie

Mary | Deep South Dish said...

You have a good point there for sure. The picture is great!! Look how nurturing you were back even then.

prashant said...

I knew it was wrong and I told my parents about it. They moved me from there in no time.

Work from home

Grace said...

I agree that kids know more then we think.My middle son learned how to flatten my tires by the time he was 2!They do realize what is going on around them too!

septembermom said...

I so agree that kids are aware of many things these days. They are more "in tune" with today's society, the good and the bad. Hopefully, they will use their wisdom with God's help.

Great picture!

The Blonde Duck said...

Popped in from Teri's to say hi!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

What a sweet picture. Yes we do not give kids enough credit. I remember things from my past that were sad yet no one ever took the time to explain what was going on.

Anonymous said...

Amen Christy, and wow does that photo bring back memories of you guys.
Stacy

Julie said...

If I look I see it. I am amazed at how far my children are at their ages. I don't think when I was growing up that anyone thought to notice. If they had I think more things would have been spoken over me. I pray that I notice and call forth that which is in my children.

Thanks for your visit to my blog and your words. You always bless me!

He & Me + 3 said...

It is crazy how an old photograph can bring back floods of memories and yes, even back then we were too smart for our own good. Kids are so aware of the things around them & have great little memories. What a sweet picture of you all.

Veronica said...

You're so right about this one. Besides that, there are just some children that are extra perceptive and just reach that "age of awareness" so much sooner. I was one of them and I just remember that same being able to see right through things.

LisaShaw said...

Beautiful photo Christy and so true what you shared. I can still clearly remember many things I was thinking and feeling at a young age. I children also remember their feelings and thoughts on different things. Very true.

Thanks for sharing.

Love ya.

Loren said...

This post is so very true my friend....the gift of discernment !!

You look just like your daughters too :) So very pretty then and so beautiful today

Love to you