BENTON COUNTY — The rhythmic hum of lawn mower engines, the pungent smell of fresh cut grass, chirping of birds and children laughing and yelling - all are wonderful signs of spring on the backdrop of the various purples, reds and yellows of forsythia, quince, daffodils, redbuds, crab apples, dogwoods, lilacs and wisteria.
(So, too, the sneezing and sinus headaches and the yellow pollen covering the deck, the car and anything outside.)
New kittens, a son begging for a baby chick, spindly-legged colts and wobbly calves are more signs of new birth.
Our family is expecting a new baby soon as a grandson is due April 7.
It was just 19 years ago that I was heavily pregnant with my sixth baby.
I had five beautiful daughters, ages 8, 7, 5, 4 and 13 months. My baby swing (a wind up) had broken after years of use and lending it to others. I thought I didn’t need a baby swing because this baby (No, Ididn’t know before she was born that she would be a ‘she.’) would have plenty of big sisters to help rock her.
Then, that sweet little dark-eyed, dark-haired beauty was born - our sixth daughter who is now our baby girl and who will turn 19 next week. She was adored by her elder sisters.
And I learned very quickly that I did indeed need a swing, which by then had developed to be battery operated.
Now, my fifth is expecting a baby any day. My eldest is getting married the end of the month.
How did the time go by so fast?
It’s fascinating watching my daughters parent.
It’s interesting to note the changes in parenting recommendations.
When my first child was born, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended placing babies on their stomachs to sleep.
That was fine for baby number one, but my second daughter was a natural born back sleeper. By the time my third was born, it was recommended to place babies on their sides to sleep, so we rolled blankets to prop them on their sides.
And, as the years passed, the recommendations changed until by the boys, we were told to put them on their backs.
My sixth daughter was born in Rogers. The previous five had been born in Springdale. I’ll never forget the morning after she was born a nurse trying to get me to attend a class on breast feeding. I politely declined telling her I had five others who had thrived. She told me there were “new advances” in breastfeeding. I said women had been feeding their babies that way since Eve and, no thank you, I would not need the class.
Parent - and grandparenting - is a wonderful privilege, a delight. It saddens me to hear parents complain about their children and even worse, to deride and curse them. Sadly, there are many children who do not know the comforts of a loving home and encouraging, loving parents. Usually, those parents were not properly taught.
This next Monday, dedicated people from the Children’s Advocacy Center and various law enforcement agencies will meet to draw attention to the plight of child abuse.
Let’s pray that more young adults are taught how to properly parent and break the cycle of abuse so tomorrow’s children can grow up loved.
Opinion, Pages 4 on 03/28/2012