One of the wisest pieces of advice I received when my children were first born was that “raising a child should be a marathon, not a sprint.” So many parents seem to be in a rush to have their children grow up noting “they are so mature” or “they can handle it” when new situations arise. I am a firm believer of living in the moment and not rushing childhood magic to reach an untold finish line. My family’s goal is the pursuit of the long-term marathon rather than the mini races that pop up daily in our lives. This helps us to focus on the bigger picture and savor all the cherished moments that make up each day. With this in mind, this week we observe National Tooth Fairy Day. We celebrate the beautiful mix of innocence and wonder that the Tooth Fairy embodies — that belief that a magical fairy appears anywhere and anytime a tooth falls out to collect and reward the lucky child mimics the essence of a favorite Shel Silverstein quote, “Anything can happen child, anything can be.” This sense of endless possibility is just the optimistic outlook that we try to hold onto long after a child has grown.
I can remember in my own childhood, even after I had grown too old to believe in the literal “Tooth Fairy,” there were times when I attempted to hold on to the magic despite reason and logic (and everyone telling me otherwise). I now marvel at that innocence and curiosity that is so wonderful and pure in childhood. So sweet that, despite an understanding of reality, there is this desire to believe in the magical. As adults, wouldn’t a little fantasy be nice instead of all the skepticism and worry? If only we could truly look at some situations through a child’s eyes, we might see a very different picture. Many times I have thought, “if we could just bottle that feeling!” Well, at Pouchie Pals, we believe we can. We bring the cozy comfort and positivity of childhood together with effective soothing. It’s a potion of simple ingredients: A CHILD’S CHOSEN ‘LOVEY’ + POUCHIE PALS = SOOTHING IN A SINGLE SNUGGLE! And our “ingredients” are supported by science and research! Take a child’s favorite blankie or stuffed animal and add a cozy Pouchie Pal filled with our specially designed inserts (a photo to bring comfort, or scents to induce calm and sleep, or heat or ice to help heal their aches and pains). Voila! You have a happy little one embracing childhood and feeling empowered to self-soothe. xoxo, Carolyn