Girlish prose

....when the goldfish hear the vibration of the boat they come swimming up to see what is going on. I thought it was amazing. They swim up and over each other like weaving a basket out of wriggling fish.

By my Anna, aged 7.

She was writing about a boat trip we did with her class along the Waikato River. We didn't see the fish, but the man doing the commentary told us of their curiosity. His commentary was particularly lame, I had callously thought at the time. He certainly didn't mention anything about the fishes' approach being like weaving a basket, and that is what amazes me - how does the mind of a child, born only 7 1/2 years ago, create that?

That's the thing about being a parent. There is a wondrous thing happening in your life, all the time, as the baby unfolds into an adult.

It's unfortunate that because it's happening all the time, it's hard to constantly hold on to the wonder. Our children have just brought home their 'learning journal' from school, which the teachers put together with samples of their writing, drawing, maths etc.Their stories are my favourite thing, and they always inspire my wonder.

I think we have to try, try and try again to notice the wonder of it all as it's happening, and not just in retrospect, when it becomes just a wonderful memory.