Guardians of Childhood

For Sunday night movie night last night we watched, “Rise of the Guardians”. This movie came out around Christmas time and is based on a series of novels by William Joyce. Admittedly the movie does not deal at all with the ‘real’ meaning of Christmas and Easter, if you can get past that it had an amazing message for me as a mom. In the movie Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth fairy, Sandman, and Jack Frost are all appointed to be ‘Guardians of Childhood’. Each of them has at their center something that protects childhood. Santa has wonder, the Easter Bunny has hope, the Tooth fairy keeps all the baby teeth because in each one precious childhood memories are stored for when they are needed, Sandman has lovely dreams, and Jack Frost has fun (he does after all bring snow days!) Each of them takes an oath,


“That we, one and all will watch over the children of the world. To guide them safely and surely from the ways of harm. To keep happy their hearts, brave their souls, and rosy their cheeks. To guard with our lives their hopes, their wishes and their dreams. For they are all that we have, all that we are and all that we will ever be.”

I loved this movie.

Although as parents we have so many ‘jobs’ I believe one of the most important is to be the guardian of our kids’ childhood. I want to have at my core as a mom wonder (my word for the year!), hope, and fun. I want to make memories with my kids that can be stored and recalled on a day happy thoughts are needed (and yes, I do keep their baby teeth!). What would this look like in my daily life? What small changes could I make keeping this in mind? I want to keep happy their hearts, brave their souls, and rosy their cheeks. For they truly are all that we have, all that we are and all that we will ever be.