My daughter’spreschoolteacher has created a daily task in which we, the parents, write “mitzvah notes” for our children each day. These notes are meant to describe the ways in which our children are helpful, cooperative, or did good deeds. The notes are read in class with the children, who, I am told, are excited to hear and discuss the good things they have done.
I must admit that when I first learned about this task, I considered it a burden. How, I wondered, could we be expected to come up with a good deed that our 3-year-old did each day? Have you ever met a 3-year-old? I knew it would be far easier to rattle off “not so mitzvah notes,” like so:
She refused tobrush her teeth.
She refused toget out of the bath.
She refused toget dressed.
ShehitMommy.
Shepushedher sister.
Shescreamed in my facewhen I tried to comfort her because I was not Mommy.
Shedid not eatdinner.
She madeleaving the houseimpossible.
She did notclean up her toys.
Shethrew herself on the floorbecause I gave her the pink cup instead of the purple cup.
She made mewant to cry.
But then, as my wife and I committed ourselves to the daily task of writing these notes, we began to find the good in our 3-year-old, even though this used to feel like an impossible mission.
Shehuggedher sister.
Shesharedher food.
Shehelpedmommy with the shopping.
Sheput her platein the sink.
Shecleaned upher toys.
Shemade achallahfor Shabbat.
Sherecitedtheblessings.
Sheput on her coatby herself.
Shetold us aboutwhat she did in school.
She told meshe loved me.
Sheheld my handas we crossed the street.
She宠物我们的猫gently.
Sheread a bookto her sister.
She saidsorry.
She broughta level of joy and excitementto our lives that we have never known.
Each morning my daughter is now excited to see what her note may say. And, sometimes she will even help craft it, demonstrating her growing awareness of her good acts.
现在,我已经有了一个更深appreciation about the importance of recognizing and praising the good things our daughter does, I thought it fitting to publicly recognize and praise my wife in the same way. I believe there is no one more deserving of mitzvah notes than a mother. So, here are some mitzvah notes for mommy:
Shewoke up three timesin the night to calm our younger daughter.
She woke upat least once every nightfor the past three plus years.
Shedidn’t sleepbefore that–when she was pregnant.
She hasgiven up sleepfor the benefit of our children.
Shemade delicious mealsfor our family.
Sheordered delicious foodon Seamless.
She let the children devourher breakfast.
Shehasn’t eaten a full mealin a while.
She encourages our children tolove books and reading.
She encourages our children tolove music and dancing.
She encourages our children tolove art.
She encourages our children tolove animals.
Sheputs downheriPhone.
Shelaughsa true laugh.
She is alwayspresent.
She is a source ofcomfort.
Shesacrificedher body to create life.
She sacrificed her body to sustain life with hermilk.
She told me sheloved me.
She made mewant to cry.
She broughta level of joy and satisfactionto my life that I have known with her for years.
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