Seeing Others Through My Kids' Eyes

by Kori Rodley Irons | More from this Blogger

Parenting brings us so many lessons and so many opportunities to view the world with fresh perspective. I have found that one of the things that parenting has done for me is that it has allowed me to see people-friends, family members and others-not only through my own perspective, but also through my kids' eyes. I may have developed an opinion or had an experience with someone that caused me to pass my own judgment but my child sees a completely different side to this person. I benefit when I can look at people with those fresh, child's eyes.

We all carry with us history, baggage and a unique way of looking at the world. Often our experiences are very real and very valid. We really DID have a hard time with a certain person or our experience growing up with our parents or whomever was indeed challenging, painful or whatever. Our children, however, do not come into the situation with the same history and baggage and they may have quite different interactions and experiences and develop a different way of looking at people. Many of us parents are amazed to discover that our children have a very different interpretation of our parents or grandparents that we do! It does not make our experience any less real or valid, but it can open us up to seeing things through their eyes with a fresh approach.

As much as I want my children to hear my stories and understand where I come from and how I got to be the person I am, I also accept that my experiences are my own and not theirs. The person that they call "grandpa" may be the same person that I knew as "dad" but the relationship is completely different. They are seeing a different side to him and experiencing a very different relationship and this helps me to see him with a different light too.

I think one of the blessings of parenthood is that we get to see those people who have been a part of our life in a completely new and different way through the eyes of our children.

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