Recently I was reading a book on early childhood parenting that had a repeated key piece of advice: “Begin as you mean to go.” Since I was reading this book just before the new year and just before introducing our little one to solid foods and formula, the concept resonated with me. I started to think where this year would take our little one. She started the year sitting and pushing up on her own, rolling over and smiling and giggling. By the end of the year she will have pulled up on her own, stood for the first time, walked and even run. She will also go from only having mother’s milk to craving and eating almost all of the same foods we eat. She also will say her first words.
When I step back and imagine all of these changes that will take place, it can seem overwhelming from a parenting perspective. The thing I hear the most from everyone who sees her rolling over is, “Just wait, she will be everywhere once she starts to crawl.” And that is just the thing…”Once she starts.” After she starts to do all these things she will never (God-willing) have to relearn the mechanics. She will never have to be retrained how to crawl or how to walk. So it is that much more important that we as parents start her off on the right foot, with the goal in mind.
We want her to be a good, polite little eater and so as we started to introduce solid foods, we also introduced limits to what was appropriate regarding eating. For one, she is only able to eat in her high chair. Next, we are trying to teach her not to touch the spoon, plate, or food while she is being fed. And amazingly she is starting to get it. At only seven months, she is able to be taught how to do things well. Because we are beginning as we mean to go, with our eyes on the goal; we will not have to go back and break bad habits.
And thus begins another venture in our lives. One which I am beginning as I mean to go. I am starting this journal as a way of discussing issues that are close to my heart as a homemaker. There are many topics that will be covered on this blog in the future including housekeeping, child rearing, organization, saving, and devotional living. I am beginning as I mean to go with this as well. I am beginning with prayer and hope in the future. The goal I have in mind is a little blurry at the moment, but I know I seek to honor the Lord Jesus Christ with my home and with my blog. I want to be an encouragement to others and I want to do well in order to finish well.
Let’s begin.
