I have often said there are fewer greater feelings than someone speaking highly of your child(ren). It’s easy to like those people a little more, maybe a lot more, because they noticed in your kids what you notice and were kind enough to share it. I suppose the children should get credit for impressing or being extra kind, too, of course, but I always reflect on the messenger, and they become extra special to me.
Lucky me, I have had this occur many times in my girls’ lives. We are a family who holds children in the highest regard. My grandmother said: Children decorate our lives. I love that saying. My mom owned a family daycare and many of her “children” are considered family decades later. Both my girls babysit as so many do but once you’re in our family, well, it’s not easy to get out! Let’s just say that although I have no grandchildren, there will be six little people in my Shanna’s wedding whom she has nannied for since they were babies. Two volunteered, which was adorable, but yes, they were going to be asked regardless.
Because my girls spend so much time helping so many parents with their children and because those kiddos love mine so much, I hear a lot of positive feedback. It is an incredible feeling to listen to someone speak so kindly of my daughters. The most fun and kind things I hear often come from the children themselves. Most recently, eight-year-old Stefanos went to his school holiday shop where he was allowed to buy for four family members. He chose his parents, sister and my Shanna, who has cared for him and his sister for years. He was very excited to pick something for all of them. But then the school limited it to people living in the home and that was very disappointing to him. How could they think Shanna wasn’t as important because she didn’t live with them?
Stefanos and Melina’s mother Christina said Shanna “gets excited over Stefanos’ creations and comes in ready to help Melina with her spelling words.” She is there in difficult times, too, like when Christina’s dad died and Shanna immediately jumped in to babysit or do whatever was needed. “She just fell into the groove of our family.”
Jenna started taking care of Samara when she was only months old. When Jenna moved to another state and had to leave that job, Samara’s mother, Anna, wrote her the most beautiful letter saying when she was choosing childcare she had challenging moments choosing who she trusted to care for “her most precious person.” In the end, she said Jenna saved her. “She showed up for us (15 minutes early everyday) with an open heart that left me at peace.” She called Jenna a rock of a human: reliable, trustworthy, honest, humble. “She was such an anchor for me and I am forever indebted.”
Hearing people share such beautiful feelings about my children truly brings me love and warms my heart.
The other day I was lucky enough to get another similar feeling: when your children are extra kind to each other. Again, this has happened many, many times over their sisterhood, but this time my youngest made me shed a tear over her plan to make her sister happy. The plan is a secret (but you’d love it!). Happy tears are the best kind.
We raise our children to do the right thing, be kind, be honest. We hope they are always happy, knowing that is impossible. We pray they are healthy. Again, not in our control but parents do whatever we can to ensure they are anyway. But when we step back and see them as littles or adults being kind to each other, it just might be the very best feeling.
We have a new baby in our family. Juniper Rae, the daughter of one of my mom’s daycare babies. Juniper’s mom, Stacy Jean, is named after my mom. I told you we get close. We love hard. It’s tremendous. Stacy’s sister, Ericka, was the first baby in my mom’s daycare 35 years ago. Her daughter Zoey is eight years old and watching her love “her” Juniper is another one of those greatest feelings. Zoey adored my mom, her Auntie Nan, and keeps her memory alive constantly. She feels her around her, helping her and guiding her. It’s an incredible thing to see.
But seeing Zoey love Juniper is another level of love. We all see my mom in Zoey as she reads to her, talks in a sweet voice, makes up loving and silly songs for her and loves her out loud. I wish it for everyone because it changes you. Seeing such love regularly makes you continue to believe there is good in the world. That we will be okay despite the negative things that happen around the world on a daily basis. We all need this kind of pure joy.
I guess my point is that the greatest feeling, the one we need more of, the one we need to share and shout out loud about is love. In my family, we look to the littlest ones, the purest ones, the most honest ones (even when we wish they weren’t so honest; you know how kids can be!)
Maybe I’m reflecting on all this given the start of a new year. But I promise, none of it is new to us and I highly recommend it. I hope 2026 brings you lots of compliments shared
aloud about the children in your life and mostly love: Zoey and Juniper kind of love.
Christine McCarriston is a Marblehead resident and contributes regularly to the Current.
