This is a Home Where Children Live

You may not find things all in place,
Friend, when you enter here.
But, we're a home where children live,
We hold them very dear.

And you may find small fingerprints
And smudges on the wall.
When the kids are gone, we'll clean them up,
Right now we're playing ball.

For there's one thing of which we're sure,
These children are on loan.
One day they're always underfoot,
Next thing you know, they're gone.

That's when we'll have a well kept house,
When they're off on their own.
Right now, this is where children live,
A loved and lived in home.
Judith Bond







To Every Parent
There are little eyes upon you,
And they are watching night and day;
There are little ears that quickly take
In every word you say;
There are little hands all eager to do
Everything you do,
And a little child who's dreaming of
the day he'll be like you.

You're the little child's idol,
You're the wisest of the wise,
In his little mind about you,
No suspicions ever rise;
He believes in you devoutly,
Holds all you say and do;
He will say and do in your way when
He's grown up to be like you.

There's a wide eyed little child who
believes you're always right,
and his ears are always open and he
watches day and night.
You are setting an example
everyday in all you do
For the little child who's waiting
To grow up to be like you.



I BELIEVE




I believe in children's laughter, the sweet perfume of a newborn
baby's skin and that every child is entitled to happiness, decent housing, health
care, proper nutrition and good education.

I believe that our schools should be places of discovery and growth,
not of danger, and that parenting should be a required course in every high school.

I believe that quality time is a phone notion that cannot substitute for substantial
time spent with our children.

I believe that baseball and other children's games can be magical and should be
wrestled from screaming, competitive coaches and returned to play.

I believe that childhood should be a time of sand castles and celebration and that
the defense of innocence is as important as the defense of our borders.

And I believe that our most urgent mission should be putting the needs of our
children first.

Author unknown



If I had my child to raise all over gain,
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less and know to care more.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
I'd see the oak three in the acorn more often.
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I'd model less about the love of power,
and more about the power of love.
Diane Loomas



You were six months old and full of fun,
with a blink of my eye, you were suddenly one.
There were so many things we were going to do,
But I turned my head and you were two.
At two you were very dependent on me,
But independence took over when you turned three.
Your third birthday, another year I tried to ignore,
But when I lit the candles, there weren't three but four.
Four was the year that you really strived,
Why, look at you now, you're already five.
Now you are ready for books and for rules,
This is the year that you go to school.
The big day came, you were anxious to go,
We walked to the bus, going, oh, so slow.
As you climbed aboard and waved good-bye,
I felt a lump in my throat and tears stung my eyes.
Time goes so fast,
It's hard to believe that just yesterday you were home with me.
And tomorrow when the bus brings you home and you
jump to the ground.
You'll be wearing your cap and graduation gown.
So I'm holding to these moments as hard as I can,
Because the next time I look, I'll be seeing
a young woman or man.
_Robert Fulghum