Life’s Journeys According to Mr. Rogers
March 4, 2007 by Kerri Aldrich
Filed under General Play Library Goodies
While at Barnes and Noble recently, I picked up a copy of Life’s Journeys According to Mr. Rogers: Things to Remember Along the Way that was on the clearance shelf. I love a good bargain.
I have to ask because I honestly don’t know, is Mr. Rogers an international icon, or mostly known as a US personality? I remember watching him and enjoying him as a kid on Mister Roger’s Neighborhood (won’t you be my neighbor?), and was thrilled when my daughter was younger and our local PBS station was still airing his show. It was a sad day when it was no longer showing for us.
Anyway, a quote from his book got me thinking about one aspect of playing with our kids. The quote is as follows:
Where would any of us be without teachers–without people who have passion for their art or their science or their craft and love it right in front of us? What would any of us do without teachers passing on to us what they know is essential about life?
One thing that I have to often remind myself, and so I’ll remind you here, too, is that we are our children’s most influential teachers. They will learn from so many people so many things in life, but much of what they learn will be in their own homes. No pressure, right? 
My question is this, What do our children learn from us about how to live our lives? What do they know about their parents and their passions? I know that, as caregivers and providers, there are so many practical details to attend to in a day, but do we communicate the importance of play and enjoyment in activities as a lifelong need?
Do your kids know that you have a love of gardening, a passion for science, a need to craft? Do they know that you get joy from baking and love to kick around a ball? Would they describe you as you’ve once thought of yourself, an artist, a writer, or a gamer?
I do think that it’s so important to let our kids develop their own likes and dislikes for playtime, but I think it’s also important to have them join us in the activities that we enjoy. They will be able to see mom and dad getting excited about a hobby and finding joy in just participating in an event. That’s an aspect of myself that I would love for my kids to remember! Sounds like it’s time to sit down with my kids and enjoy a good book, or find something to cook with them!
How about you? How do you share your loves and passions with your kids in a way that’s fun?
Quote from Life’s Journeys According to Mr. Rogers, page 94
