swirling dreams with reality

I just love watching my babies sleep.  I know I'm not the only one.  They just look so peaceful and dreamy.

I had a dream last night that I was rescueing children from a hidious monster.  The monster was human like and the only think that would scare it away was to see itself in a mirror.

On the way home from school tonight I was mixing my thoughts around in my head.  I was thinking about my presentation in class tonight and that I was the only one who mentioned Maslow's Hierarchy of needs...if you don't know it, it goes something like this....

Children first needs have to be met and those needs consist of the vitals like a roof over their head, clean clothes to wear, food on their table.  The second is is safety and security. The third is love and so on...click image to see full size of his hierarchy and keep in mind this is for every human being young or old.

I was swirling these thoughts around in my head when I started thinking about my dream where the children were in the dark with this evil beast and some how one of my babies had been captured and I had to get him back.  I did successfully and was so thankful that he was never harmed just scared and in my dream I stood up straight and tall and thought...those poor other little children, I have to save them.  They are living with this beast, they are terrified because that's what the beast did, scared little kids. 

So, with all this swirling around in my head on this long drive home, I started wondering what beasts children really live with.  It's all too true that there are children out there that live in horrific conditions.  They endure being hungry, being cold, having no safe and secure place to live, they are deprived of love or abused.  They are put down, beaten, told they are worthless, and the list goes on and on.  It makes me think of the book I read in college for the first time, "A Child Called It." by Dave Pelzer.  I was stunned from beginning to end. 

My point is this.

During your day you will probably come face to face with a child, maybe even just your own.  Don't ever forget that children need us to show them the wonders of the world.  They need us to tell them they are special, that they can achieve greatness.  They need us to encourage them and point out what they are doing right  much more  often than what they are doing wrong.  They need hugs, they need love, they need guidance.  They need to feel safe and deserve to be happy. 

Encouraging children, loving them and giving them the best possible life builds their self confidence to go out into this great big world and try something new.  

There are many organizations out there that help children and families...share with me your favorite if you will.