Magic Spray

Monday, September 10, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford from Child Development

Parenting isn't rocket science. But, it's not easy either.

Lately, I've been reminded of this. A lot.

Perhaps it is the hubby's new gig. Perhaps it is the fact that my little girl began kindergarten this fall. Add together two major life changes and sprinkle in a little stress of my full-time job, and the everyday worries of being a mama and this journey has started to feel as complicated as rocket science.

Recently, I've had to reach into my parenting bag of tricks and pull out the magic spray on multiple occasions.

Magic spray? If you have a toddler or preschooler in your life, I highly recommend it. It's great for fixing things, doesn't cost anything, and you won't find it at any local retailer.

What is it made of? It is a simple recipe that consists of imagination, a little fun, and some love.

Stress in our lives equals stress in our little ones’ lives too.

What do YOU do to take care of yourself and your little one when life gets a little too complicated? How do you teach your little one to work through the bumps of everyday life?

Just when I'm not sure how to fix something in our lives, in walks the memory of the voice of Ms. Booth, preschool teacher, and her bottle of magic spray.

It was one of those days when I was on overload. The kiddo was "feeling my pain" and was responding accordingly. This meant that from getting dressed to eating breakfast to engaging in play at her preschool, there were challenges. There were tears. It was just an "off" day. We all have them.

How can we fix these moments with our kids?

As you find out quickly, there is no rationalizing with a young child. There is opportunity to help them see things differently through their child-like view of the world.

After multiple meltdowns one morning - both by me and the kiddo - Ms. Booth suggested we use some magic spray to make things better.

My child watched with wonder as Ms. Booth reached for an invisible bottle, added a little (pretend) glitter, some special water, a dash of this and a pinch of that and then shook it up. Ms. Booth gave it a second look and added another dash of glitter (isn't everything better with a little more glitter?!). Then, she asked if we were ready. She was about to give a coating of magic spray, guaranteed to make everything better in a few simple squirts.

My child was mesmerized. I was pretty entranced as well.

Ms. Booth began "squirting" her spray over us. Without any mess, there was a transformation. My child's eyes brightened and she squealed "All better!" Indeed, I was feeling better too. A little imagination, a little fun, and a little love indeed did the trick.

Sometimes parenthood isn't rocket science, but when it comes to making things better, sometimes it does help to be a creative genius.

Have you ever pulled out your magic spray to make things better for your child?

What tips or tricks do you have for making the bumps in life's road smoother for your child?

Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
Jeannie Fleming-Gifford is a mama to one little lady, freelance writer, and the director of education for a non-profit community school of the arts. Graduating with a B.A. in Music and a M.A. in Child Development, Jeannie began her career in quality child developme...Read More

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