Mina may only be 6, but she has her own “Bucket List” and I am, slowly, checking things off. Hers goes something like this:
Mama, Can we, one day, have dessert for breakfast?
Can we, one day, go see Mozart’s Magic flute opera and I see The Queen of the night, FOR REAL?!!
Can we, one day, go to Paris and see the Eiffel tower and climb to the top?
And the list goes on…Suffice to say, we are working through her “list” as best as we can. Dessert for Breakfast is now called an “upside down day” and we were able to go see Mozart’s Magic Flute Opera a couple of months ago. Yes, I know she is 6, but she has been in love with story and the Queen of the Night from that opera since she was 4. She would pretend to be the Queen and perform for her book friends.
When the opera came to town, I immediately bought tickets, 5th row, and she was ecstatic! We may make memories and special moments. Listening to her and watching her interests has helped me to understand what is truly important to her.
Going to
the opera, getting dressed in fancy clothes, and seeing The Queen FOR REAL was such a special time for her and I. I asked her if it was important for her to meet the opera singer in person, but seeing her on stage was enough for her.
Kids have their own magical wishes and honoring them is important. Magic of wishing only lasts so long. Just yesterday, Mina said to me:
Mama, wishing on candles doesn’t work. I have tried hard as I can to wish for this toy pony or for you to be happy all the time, everyday, and it doesn’t happen.
I am not advocating fulfilling their every whim, but to know which are most important and meaningful.