Stepping Back to Watch

Today I sat S down on the floor to play and I sat on the couch to eat my lunch and watch her play.  I spend most of my time on the floor with her, making silly faces and talking to her...hovering perhaps?  But today was different.  For some reason I thought a new perspective was in order.

It's interesting what you can see from a distance.  She certainly favors a couple of toys over other ones but she did take a brief try at pretty much every toy on the floor.  It seems the main purpose for her toys is to chew on them and so if they do not easily lend themselves to that action, she quickly moves on.  As one ring slipped down over her wrist and down her arm, she worked to wiggle it off.  One book proved to be too large to pick up so she quickly gave it up.  Although I now see it's no longer anywhere near where I'd originally placed it.  Perhaps when I got up to get my computer she pushed it around the floor.

I smile at her independence and enjoy the moment to eat my lunch in peace.

And as my mind often does, I find it wandering and making connections to another area of my life where kids are the focus.  I wonder how often, as a teacher, I spend too much time hovering close and miss a distant perspective that might teach me something important.  When September rolls around I will have to take time to step back, watch, and learn.

Baby grunts bring me back to the present and make me grateful that, for the time being, the bouts of independence are short and mommy is still wanted and appreciated for closeness and comfort.