The Thanksgiving tradition in my family is that instead of
saying grace before dinner, we go around the table and each person says what
they are thankful for. This year, however, we spent the holiday with my
husband’s family and my father-in-law said a traditional grace. It was a nice
grace, but as I was falling asleep later that night, I felt a little sad that
we all didn’t get to say what we’re thankful for and I said so to my husband. I
missed that yearly tradition of my family’s. And, being a list maker, I can’t
help but make my list of the things I’m thankful for.
In no particular order, I’m thankful for:
1. The health of my family and the things that go to sustain
that health: clean water, good quality food, organic fruits and vegetables, and
daily exercise.
2. Laughter and especially the laughter of my children. Is
there a more beautiful sound than your children laughing? Or the sound of your
children laughing because they are playing together, even if one is three and
one is 4 months old?
3. Being a breastfeeding mom, I’m thankful for the
breastfeeding laws that protect my right to live my life and breastfeed at the
same time, whether I’m grocery shopping, taking my son to the playground or
working.
4. Having a marriage where my husband and I communicate and
are on the same page when it comes to parenting, education, nutrition, and
other values. Whenever I get worn out I think of my friends who are single
parents – and still stellar parents – and wonder how they do it, not just doing
it all themselves most the time, but doing it without having someone to talk
things through with, whether it’s the choices for schools or how to handle
certain situations. Having someone to share the wild ride of parenting with,
for me, makes it far more fun and easier.
5. That my husband and I have chosen to parent in a way that
reflects our values – even when it goes against the grain, is different from
many friends and extended family members, and even causes concern in some
(“What? You don’t punish your children? How do they know right from wrong?”).
I’m also thankful for how much we’ve already seen the benefit of this, of how
much our three year-old son communicates his feelings and what’s okay with him,
that while he may get scared at a puppet show, he doesn’t get scared of
potentially getting in trouble for expressing himself.
6. I’m thankful for Roe v. Wade, not just because it makes a
relatively simple procedure safe and available for women or has the side effect
of greatly lowering the number of children that are abused yearly by parents,
but because it protects all reproductive rights, including my right to choose
to give birth at home with a midwife.
7. My children aren’t school age yet, but whether we choose
public school, private school, or home school, I’m thankful for the public
school system and that we have choices when it comes to our children’s
education. Waldorf? Charter? Montessori? The neighborhood public school?
Private? We get to choose. And I’m thankful for all the people who commit their
lives to serving children. Having taught, I know what a hard and time consuming job it is.
8. Parks and playgrounds. I was grateful for the national
and city parks before I had children, simply because of how much they improve
the air quality and our quality of life, but after children, I am especially
thankful for city parks and playgrounds. With an active preschooler, I think my
sanity and his happiness depends on our daily walks to the park and time spent at the parks and
playgrounds. He gets his exercise and to play with other kids. I get to play
with him or meet other moms. The park is one of the first places children get
to experience community, and it’s a benefit that’s available to all children.
9. Museums, public libraries and the arts. I’m an addict.
And I’m raising my children to be addicts too. Yesterday my son begged to be
taken to the Children’s museum, and while we didn’t have time (he instead spent
his afternoon rolling down a hill in a park with his dad), it made my heart
sing every time he asked.
10. The Internet. As a parent who’s still relatively new to
the city I live in, I am thankful for the wealth of resources available every
time I open my computer. Within minutes, I can find kid friendly events
happening in the city, where to take kids apple picking, or directions to a new
friend’s house. I can also instantly research tips for flying with children,
order groceries, put library books on hold, or contact my favorite mom friends
who are spread out across the globe. I feel slightly shallow saying it, but I
think the Internet makes parenting easier for my generation.
And you? What are things you are thankful for as a parent? In general?
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