Letter to Zayb: Rise...fall...then rise gain.

This was a letter I wrote to her in August of 2014.

 

Janaa,

 

I am not sure if I mentioned this to you ,, but the reason I write to you while you are learning to walk, talk and all the other lovely stuff you doo, is because I want you to experience some day in the future what I am experiencing today. Also I want to make sure that if something ever happened to me you could read my letters and know who your mother was… what she was about.. how much she loved you and what she wanted to tell you … sweetheart you are a beautiful child with a beautiful heart and an amazingly sharp mind.. you have a personality and it is my responsibility to develop that into a personality of a strong, determined, compassionate, respectful and cultured lady. I assure you that I will put my all in cultivating you to the best of my ability and existence.

 

Today I was reading this article http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/07/02/spoiled-rotten ( I am not sure if this article will still be available when you are ready to read this email) on how parents of today are spoiling their kids rotten.. such that ultimately it becomes detrimental to the child’s development and future. We think we are doing our kids a favor and expressing our love when we do all for them (including tying their shoe laces) but such expression of love only makes our children less confident and more dependent on us…

 

I am very proud to say that you even today at 2 years of age….try and brush your teeth (that is when you do J) help out in cleaning and wiping and laying the dinner table…it sometimes can increase the mess.....but you are just two…so its bound to happen.. but I really appreciate the effort that you take in becoming more independent.. I am sure you will grow up to be a confident young woman.

 

Sometime when you fall I feel like rushing to you and picking you up in my arms and cuddling you like so many mother I know do.. and I do give in and pick you up when you fall on most occasions .. but sometimes I am able to control myself and let you stand up on your own….Zayb never ever let yourself believe that because I let you stand up on your own I love you less…I love you to the moon and back…..the only reason I allow you time to stand up by yourself rather than picking you up is because there are times in life when there is no one to pick you up…..I wish and pray each day that you always find many many people to love, who love you , to share your life with….but as a mother I must prepare you for all circumstances….

 

Sweetheart remember that the greatest achievement is not never to fall but rising every single time after you fall.

 

Lots of love. Mama