One of the many things that motherhood has opened up to me, is the concept of trusting my baby. I have come to the belief that when I trust in my child, and their innate brilliance, I uphold humanity and also lead my child into trusting me as their parent.
Too often I hear parents either pre or post-natally commenting on the nature of their child in a negative sense. I suggest we rethink before making these judgements.
It has been said that babies come from the 'bosom of God'. How, then can this blameless and innocent being not be completely trusted? How can we see their behaviour as anything other than innately and divinely inspired?
Through the early days with my first child, I wasn't so steadfast in this belief. I would blame and judge his slightest behaviour, mostly as a result of feeling threatened in my beliefs, thoughts and actions. I realize now it was all about me! It was my issues, my past experiences, the thoughts I cling to and the deep seated beliefs I'm afraid to question or let go of, that were really coming up. I see this personal challenge, brought about by my blameless child, as an opportunity for refinement of myself, of who I am.
And then it became clear, this child is not being disobedient, he is just doing what comes naturally to him! Crying when I shove food in his mouth. Crying over the lack of acceptance I show when he simply doesn't want to sleep by my clock. And it came up in simpler ways too. I wouldn't understand why he wasn't eating and then 5 minutes later after much huffing, bribery and negotiations on my part, he would have a giant poop and before getting off the toilet would be saying: "Mom I'm hungry."
As I took a closer look at my interactions with this little baby, and opened myself up to criticism and refinement, I heard a voice over and over and over again: "Trust your baby, everything he does is for a reason."
And so the mantra was born: "I trust my baby, and my baby trusts me."
If I expect my child to trust me when they're 13, to come to me with their hurts, fears and truths, then I had better trust them today, right now, in this moment. Showing them that I trust them will teach them no other way than trusting in me. This will positively impact each relationship they have. And in turn positively impact the world.