A story about how what I thought was dirt was actually 'today's memories'

Introduction

How many times do you tell your kids, 'Go wash your hands!'?

I do it every day. Haha.

They come home, take off their shoes, and head straight for the living room.
Seeing my 3-year-old son try to dive right onto the sofa,
I sometimes find myself reflexively calling out to him.

But when I read this picture book,
I thought to myself, 'Oh...'

A child's dirty hands are actually memories of their day.

I had never even considered that perspective before.

Today, I'd like to introduce the book that gave me that realization,
'Otete wa Pika Pika' (My Hands Are Sparkling) by Hiroshi Ito.

Dirt wasn't just dirt

The main character, a young boy, is told by his mother:

Up to this point, it's a typical parent-child scenario.

But the boy's response is great.

He starts by acknowledging it.
I think this is an incredibly important starting point for communication.

I feel like parents tend to start with a negative.

Before I know it, my first words are a reprimand.
That's why,
accepting things is actually something adults need to do more.

Just by starting with an affirmation like "I understand,"
conversations surely become much softer.

The world of a child hidden behind the dirt

The story expands rapidly from here.

While looking at each bit of dirt on his hands, the boy
begins to talk about the events of that day.

・Dust from chasing butterflies
・Mud from when he was making mud dumplings
・Marks from juice made with leaf sap

While reading it, I couldn't help but call my wife over.

Because

The idea that dirt has memories... had you ever thought of that?

I hadn't.
Dirt is just dirt. It's simply something that needs to be washed off.
I thought it was nothing more or less than that.

But the world of children depicted in picture books is completely different.

Somehow, the dirt starts to feel very precious.

A little bit about my own story

My eldest son also heads straight to the living room when he gets home.
"Hands! Go wash them!!" I find my voice getting louder every time.

But after re-reading this picture book,
I tried changing how I say it a little.

"What kind of dirt did you get on you today?"
"What did you play?"

When I ask like that, he tells me about it looking incredibly happy.

Instead of scolding them for the mess,
I feel like I've created a little bit of timeto look back on the day together.

Well... I know I can't do this when I'm stressed... haha
It's fine if I can just do it once in a while 😚

The time spent washing slowly becomes a memory

At the end of the picture book, the boy washes his hands properly.

But you know, he doesn't just wash them,

This expression is just wonderful, isn't it?

When I think that the dirt on their hands
is packed with the child's 'today',

somehow, just a little bit,
I feel like I've started to see the child's day.

Just being able to imagine that
made me feel like the warmth in my heart as a parent increased a little.

Conclusion

'Go wash your hands!'
I think I'll probably say that tomorrow too. Haha

But before that, I want to try having
just one conversation, like 'What did you play today?'

Because behind the dirt,
there is a world that only the child can see.

I've included a link, but
it's really a shame that it's no longer in print...

Still, it's a picture book I highly recommend,
so if you find it at the library, please do read it ♪

From here on, a little bit of a diary.

Actually, I fell asleep while putting the kids to bed again yesterday, so I couldn't write my post.
I've been busy with work and parenting lately,
and the days have been quite hectic.

I haven't been able to read your posts either,
and I'm sorry I haven't been able to keep up with replying to comments.

I'll continue to take things slowly,
without pushing myself, whenever I have some breathing room.😭😭

📚 Today's Picture Book

"Otete wa Pika Pika" (by Hiroshi Ito)

(*No new copies available; library recommended)

*This page earns income as an Amazon Associate.