The uplifting powers of seeing the world through your children's eyes

"DIS!" That is Ben's first and only word. He points to objects and says "DIS!" and I tell him their names: my mouth, my boobs, the light in his room, the pillows on the couch, a toothbrush, a plant, all the things. I'm often down on the floor with him, exploring: Wow, door hinges! Wow, cabinet knob! Wow, pots and pans and lids! Other than realizing how many dustballs exist in our home, I love seeing the world through his eyes. It gives me new perspective.

Ben's a curious tot. He doesn't just like to plunk away on his toy piano—he wants to turn it over, poke at the screws and figure out where the sounds are coming from. He's as fascinated by the packaging of toys as much as he is by the toys. "DIS! DIS! DIS! DIS!" 

He shares Max's fascination with fans. I still remember Dave and I going to lunch after we'd taken Max, then about ten months old, to a craniosacral session one Sunday. (It's a holistic treatment said to release restrictions in the body and enable movement—we were game to try anything to help Max crawl.) We put Max on the table in his car seat. There was a fan above us and Max giggled heartily. We laughed along with him, and it felt so good because I was a ball of anxiety back then. Ben smiles delightedly at fans, too. We were in a restaurant this weekend that had one and he kept staring at it expectantly, hoping it would start. 

I get to explore the world through Max and Sabrina's eyes, too. Max is always game to go somewhere new lately—a new restaurant, a new place, a new experience (like when he and Dave walked across the Brooklyn Bridge). In recent years, Max and I have visited a whole lot of fire stations and met a whole lot of amazing firefighters. He can make even a trip to the supermarket interesting, because he likes to buy new foods (especially new kinds of ice-cream) and he likes to ask, "What's that?"

Sabrina is a bit jaded these days (see: tween). But she still gets excited about stuff. We watched a dance performance the other night, and she had those proverbial saucer eyes. She's interested in technology, art and...shopping. A couple of weeks ago, I took her to see Raiders of the Lost Ark at a performance center, accompanied by an orchestra. It's one of my favorite movies of all time, and introducing her to it was a thrill. She literally sat on the edge of her seat for most of it, making the night that much more enjoyable for me. 

I get so burned out at times. The kids, with all their needs and demands, may be partially the cause—but they are also the cure. Because no matter how I'm feeling, they make me realize there is so much to see, discover and savor in this world. That's given me hope when I haven't been feeling it lately. 

It's awesome to watch Max and Sabrina seeing the world through Ben's eyes, too. They laugh when he squeals in delight because, say, he's just discovered that he can squirt water out through his mouth. They steer his walker with him because he's still figuring out how to navigate curves. They watch him happily as he figures out how to pile up stacking cups. 

I watch them, and the wonder lifts me.