My ritual Saturday morning trip to the farmers market with one of my girls has been so meaningful: it means quality one to one time spent together. Girls get to know the usual farmers stall that I always patronise, how I strike up a conversation with farmers, what type of questions to ask them, how much I value their produce, and they get to understand how much hard work farmers put in to grow such nutritious produce for us. Girls also learn how to choose fresh produce, the colours, the texture, the smell, and girls learn why supporting local business is important, everything happens in farmers market seems so fascinating for our time together to explore, to talk, discuss and reflect on. Most importantly, girls get to taste, eat and choose the fresh produce they want to enjoy for the week.
Each child is unique, unique in the way that each of them will have different requests and likes with every trip to the market. This trip, my youngest daughter Apphia, went with me. She loves flowers and requested to buy fresh flowers from the florist stall. She bought one bunch of Jonquil and paired it with lavender. I had no idea that she had developed this talent and interest, and she was very focused in choosing her theme and colours that she wanted.
When we reached home, she got busy with her flower arrangement and I was busy in the kitchen cleaning and putting fresh produce into the fridge. I bought fresh beets and other fresh produce to ferment beet kvass that Saturday. At the end of the morning, both of us were very satisfied with our work - she had her beautiful flowers arranged in the vase and I had many bottles of beet kvass fermenting on the counter. We were both very satisfied with our work and it was a well spent quality time together.
As a parent, I always believe that spending time together with my child will never go to waste: even if it is just sitting together, talking together, cooking together. This is the time I can get to know my child, to know her likes and dislikes, to know her dreams, her fears, her worries, her achievements, her beliefs, her friends, and everything about her. I take the time to share my life experience with her, and we exchange ideas and respect each other’s opinions. The one to one time with your child is so precious because I only have her to pay attention to, to fulfil her needs and everything is about her. When her needs are met and she feels loved, she can flourish and grow in confidence and knowing she has her parents to back her up, and most importantly she has God in her life.
No one, no one will ever feel too much LOVE and attention is given to herself. Everyone needs LOVE, especially during this COVID time - the more you hug or express your love to your loved one, the releases of oxytocin will help to reduce stress in the body. This will set your body into a parasympathetic mode which will restore the body to a state of calm and relaxed condition.
Have you been spending one to one time with your child lately?
In health and love,
Hui, Sydney