Priorities

                Many years ago when I was a mother of young children I heard a poem that really impressed me, and I tried to remember the idea contained in the poem to help me keep my priorities straight.  I knew then and I know even better now that there is no time like the present to teach and enjoy little children.

I found a poem written by Ruth Hulbert Hamilton entitled “Babies Don’t Keep” at this site.  It has the same idea as the one I heard many years ago, but I do not know if it is actually the same poem. 

Now I have the opportunity to spend some quality time with my grandchildren.  My regular readers may notice over the next several weeks that I miss a day here and there of posting something new on my blog.  If that situation should happen, please understand that I am enjoying my grandchildren and will write again soon.  In the meantime, spend some time loving your own children or grandchildren because “babies don’t keep.”

Mother, O’ Mother, come shake out your cloth,

Empty the dustpan, poison the moth.

Hang out the washing, make up the bed,

Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?

She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,

Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo.

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due,

Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek- peekaboo.

The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew,

And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo.

But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.

Look!  Aren’t his eyes the most wonderful hue?

Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow,

But children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to Sleep!

I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.