When I’m not overwhelmed by the task of raising a soon-to-be-TWEEN into a productive member of society I can step back and see how all I ever needed to know about life Ive learned from this rearing process.
Yes, roots and wings.
Sure, practice what you long to preach.
Indeed, playful parenting is the way to go.
Those three notions, however, are ones I’d sorta known before.
Concepts about which we all possess a vague sense of awareness—parents or not— just by virtue of life experiences.
- Roots and wings? Helpful in dog rearing. Puppies start off *always* on lead & we work toward the sweet sweet freedom of off-lead trail ambling.
(mama, may I go off-lead yet??)
- Practicing what we wanna preach? No one likes a lecture. This is a helpful tool with friends, family and co-workers.
(life is about finding balance)
- Playful living? Beats the hell out of an uber-serious life. Laughter is good!
(she leads. I follow.)
There *is* one concept parenting has taught me which I’m uncertain Id ever have learned otherwise.
The concept of BEGET.
It’s a word I knew — thank you Shakespeare classes in college–yet one I’d not used in conversation until our daughter.
I’d no inkling, for example, with children SLEEP begets SLEEP.
It felt counter-intuitive—until I saw it played out repeatedly.
The more sleep our daughter got the more easily and happily she slept.
Since learning that I’ve applied the notion of BEGET’ing to myriad facets of my grown-up life.
Non-processed begets non-processed.
(one slather BEGETS more.)
I use BEGET (waitforit) on the reg yet was shocked when I saw a friend apply it to her life.
She left a beautiful comment on a guest post.
A raw share which took my breath away immediately made me want to let her know how grateful I was for her honesty:
@carla_birnberg courage begets courage
— Thea Rudland (@ItsMeVsMe) May 24, 2014
Her response surprised me.
In the same way the child’s jaw would literally drop when she’d burst into song and I’d chime right in.
She’d say incredulously:
You know Jingle Bells too?!?
My first reaction at spying her tweet was:
You say BEGET, too??
I mulled over her choice of courage begets courage.
I journaled all the varieties of positive BEGET’ing in my life.
This process, as per usual, led me to wonder about you.
Do you beget?
- What healthy habits have you discovered gain momentum once started?
- Have you found doing what you can when you can BEGETS *more* healthy living?
Runner Girl says
February 23, 2015 at 4:07 amFor me I really love to run and I can still get away from it.
I think running begets running?
Angeal @ happy fit mama says
February 23, 2015 at 4:14 amLaughing begets laughter. True story!
Lizzie says
February 23, 2015 at 4:53 amWriting begets writing.
I cannot wait to hear you speak on Saturday!
Allie says
February 23, 2015 at 5:02 amAction begets action…and with twin 5 year-olds there’s a whole lotta action around here!
Nettie says
February 23, 2015 at 5:09 amFor me faith begets faith.
Tina Muir says
February 23, 2015 at 5:26 amNot gonna lie, had NO idea what that meant before I read that post, but I love where you took it. Very clever, and very interesting. I am not surprised you give others courage,……sorry beget courage! You are one inspiring human being. 🙂
cheryl says
February 23, 2015 at 5:31 amCourage? Bravery? Badass? For what getting up and doing what we all have to do/should be doing anyway? Don’t get it…
cheryl says
February 23, 2015 at 5:29 amFull living makes for fuller living… (I don’t say “begets”)-but have been practicing what I preach for 44 years, so don’t have to. Isn’t this a “rerun”?
Writer’s block begets reruns?
CARLA says
February 23, 2015 at 5:32 amAlas no.
Im writing prolifically BUT also revisiting this same notion as I do.
Writers block isnt something I really believe in—to me it’s always run too close to being an excuse? but then Ive got words coming out the proverbial whazoo to the dismay of many 🙂
Kate says
February 23, 2015 at 5:33 amSnark begets snark?
I need to break that cycle LOL
Michelle says
February 23, 2015 at 5:59 amI find myself nodding every time I read your posts, Carla. This was a wonderful start to my Monday. I’m going to beget some more positive thinking with positive thoughts.
AmyC says
February 23, 2015 at 6:10 amSmiles beget smiles.
🙂
misszippy says
February 23, 2015 at 6:21 amOh my to the above: Snark begets snark?
Anyhow…kindness begets kindness
Coco (@Got2Run4Me) says
February 23, 2015 at 6:29 amkindness begets kindness. (I learned “beget” in Sunday School — the long genealogy passages about who begat whom …)
Debbie @ Coach Debbie Runs says
February 23, 2015 at 7:12 amHappy begets happy. And yes to a few others I read above…laughter, running (which by the way I should be doing, I’d better get begetting ???? )
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast says
February 23, 2015 at 7:31 amOh yes to the sleep begets sleep! I’m with Angela too that laughter begets laughter. And courage- such a cool way to think about it!
Marcia says
February 23, 2015 at 9:03 amOMG how do I love this? So true! I think it was 2 years ago when I did Elf4Health I realized kindness begets kindness. Whatever we’re hoping for is all around us but we need to focus on it to SEE it. And really we beget everything we put out.
rachel says
February 23, 2015 at 10:26 amYes! LOVE this! Yes!!
Fancy Nancy says
February 23, 2015 at 10:45 amA good attitude begets a good attitude…learned this the hard way this weekend!
AdjustedReality says
February 23, 2015 at 10:47 amFor me, running begets running (check). Healthy eating begets healthy eating (erm, not doing so well here lately). I find if I focus on something for a month (January’s run streak, other times I’ve done a month no sweets), it becomes easier. Habit. Good stuff. We are what we repeatedly do/think, right?
Jalice says
February 23, 2015 at 12:58 pmAnd Knowledge begets knowledge 🙂
mimi says
February 23, 2015 at 4:11 pmOn one website i frequent, we use the concept “motivation follows action.” It’s similar, the fact is that getting up and doing, whatever it is, brings about more doing.
We can beget what we say we want by starting. It’s how i got the weight off and it’s how i’m adding good things to my life right now.
Roz@weightingfor50 says
February 23, 2015 at 4:35 pmLOVE this! There are so many….and a favorite of a friend of mine is “love begets love”.
Kerri Olkjer says
February 23, 2015 at 6:52 pmHmm, so trolling begets trolling? 😉
Christine @ Love, Life, Surf says
February 23, 2015 at 8:46 pmYes! Yes! Sleep begets sleep! But laughter begetting laughter might be my favorite. Kindness/happiness begets kindness/happiness. That’s one that I would like to beget more of.
Jody - Fit at 57 says
February 24, 2015 at 8:35 amKeep on trying no matter what begets that – the trying always no matter how much one is knocked down. May be lapses of not trying but it always comes back..
Dr. J says
February 24, 2015 at 12:38 pmThanks for pointing out many of the wonderful things you learn while raising your daughter!
Kindness begets kindness!
Kim says
February 24, 2015 at 4:30 pmSo funny, I learned the word beget when Jordan was a baby and I read something that said “sleep begets sleep.” Like you, I found that to be so true!!! No napping during the day for a baby meant the night would be rough!!!
I agree with so many of the thins people listed above – I really do think that kindness begets kindness!!
Carrie Skoll says
February 25, 2015 at 7:43 amGosh – so true. In the positive and the negative. Love all the comments on this one – laughter, courage, movement, snark…. it’s all there.