I came across this a few days ago on a blog.  I thought it was right on. It actually hit a nerve because I find myself "shushing" the kids all the time when they are just talking on and on about the same thing all day long.  Well, Trenton anyway. Ava doesn't really say much yet, but Trenton will yack your ear off talking about bugs or tractors or construction equipment.  To me these things are not important. I don't really care what the bugs are doing or what the tractor is doing in the field, But I know a certain 5 year old that lives to know what those things are doing.  And so many times I forget that those things are important to him. 

That stuff is the big stuff and he wants to tell ME about it.
Me; not Ava, not Daddy, not the dog, ME.  But I don't pay attention or I half listen throwing in a "Mm-Hmm" or "oh really?" every now and then so he thinks i'm hanging on every word while I'm distracted doing something else.

I'm missing out simple as that.  I'm missing out on the big stuff in his world. And if I don't watch myself I'm going to miss the little things when he's little and the big stuff when he's big. 

Less Shushing.  More Listening....Earnestly listening.  That's my job. 

It's a hard thing being a parent.  You learn as you go.  You don't do everything right.  And occasionallly you get a parenting lesson thrown at you from the least likely of places. 

I know tomorrow I will be hanging on every word Trenton wants to tell me, and with any luck, he'll still be telling me the big stuff when he's older.