It's a frightening fact.... everything good or bad, is absorbed.

I have been reading Nurtured by love, by Suzuki, yes just started it! I was hit by this statement in the book:

"It is a frightening fact. By no means only words or music, but everything good or bad, is absorbed."

 

This is in his book, page 16 under the subtitle of The baby's body brims over with joy. In the story there is a gathering of families who are all learning violin by Suzuki, members of Talent Education, as he named it. This story is about one family in particular. His student is a six year old girl. She has been learning to play Vivaldi A-minor concerto. She practices it many times daily, along with listens to the music daily. She has an infant sister, age 5 months, who has also grown up on listening to the violin, and especially this specific piece of music. After the children preform, Suzuki stands to play a piece, and preform an experiment too! He begins playing Bach, and studies the baby the whole time he plays. The baby is well acquainted with the sound of the violin. He can see it in her face, the recognition of the sounds. She is intrigued as this is probably not a tune familiar to her. Then he switched to play Vivaldi A-minor concerto- the piece her sister had been playing and listening to daily. Almost instantly the baby's expression and attitude changes. She starts getting excited, she looks at her mother, with a look that almost says, "this is MY song!" The baby starts moving up and down to the rhythm, and her body and facial expressions scream that she is familiar with this song!

"In this way inspiration and interest are acquired involuntarily by an infant from everything he sees and hears, like a seed that is planted. This is what molds, forms, the character. That, I thought, was clear from what I had seen. It is a frightening fact. By no means only words or music, but everything good or bad, is absorbed.

 

I am sure most all parents have witnessed such an experience. Whether it's a cartoon character, or "that" commercial that was played during the show. Whether it was the loving words spoken to your child, or that one mean thing that you happened to say.

EVERYTHING our children are exposed to, becomes part of them. Those memories are stored away, and that is what shapes or children!

I'm definitely not saying that people can't change, or break the mold or decide they don't want that in their lives anymore~ ~ ~ but what I am saying is that until that moment comes, if it comes, to break the mold, that is what shapes our children.

So we must choose wisely, and truly think about every action, thought, and word that might come along. Everything that might become a part of that child!

We must plant good seeds, and nurture them- with LOVE!