Jessica blogs at Cloth Diapering Mama.

Orlando, age seven, at the beach, where he spontaneously created and shared this poem:

Stacy blogs at Mama-Om.
You can read more about Stacy in this week’s Featured Blogger post.

Curiosity

Children start along the path of learning and of growth -
Their minds like sponges drinking in right from the time of birth.
Thirst for knowledge built within however small they be;
With age some of us soon forget our curiosity.

Question here and question there; they know they must enquire -
’Tis “how?” and “why?” and “where?” and “when?” until the grownups tire.
This brings on discouragement for questions still arise;
They turn to others like themselves and peers may be unwise.

We answer questions when they’re asked unless we do not know;
Then seek the answer – concentrate – and let our interest show.
We tell the child we do not know – we, too, would like to be
Aware of how to look for things – together, we will see.

Children grow and grownups, too, will age like best of wine;
When curiosity lives on, our days with love, combine
To help them start along the path of learning and of growth -
The quest for life’s vicissitudes will quench their thirst for both.

—Doreen (Adams) Ellis

Alicia blogs at McCrenshaw’s Newest Thoughts.

Here we sit, reading
Exploring books together
Smiling at my twin.

Mama Mo blogs at Attached at the Nip.

From Charise: “Baby and Mama enjoyed themselves at the Emily Dickinson museum.
Baby loved hearing us recite the poems in the exhibit and
opening the little doors on the walls to find poems underneath.”

Charise blogs at I Thought I Knew Mama.

Read more in Lauren’s book, Poetry of a Hobo Mama: The First Three Years,
and visit her at her blog, Hobo Mama.

Momma Jorje saw a teen, deep in thought,
when she saw Sasha lying just so with her foot in the air, nose in a book.

Read more at Momma Jorje.

From Emily: “Very Hungry Caterpillar Day at our local library.”

From Luschka: “When Kyra was born I spent the first three months taking photos as creatively as I could for a calender for our families for Christmas. It wasn’t professional, but they loved it, and I loved doing it!”

Luschka blogs at Diary of a First Child.

Tell us: How does your family interact with poetry and prose?