On children and cuteness

I think I have the most adorable children in the entire God-blessed world, with no exception (OK, maybe one possible exception being my nephew Iyezk--he's just a little too beautiful).  Does this mean I think my kids are cuter than your kids?  I sure do.  Now, before you react the way any sane parent would--with disbelief, horror and offense--stop and think for a minute why that upsets you.  Because you think your kids are cuter than mine.  Or at the very least, as cute.

Now, don't get me wrong, I think your kids are cute. I adore children.  All those comments I've left on your photos and blogs about how adorable your children are?  I meant every one of them.  Your kids are completely scrumptious.  Its just that since my kids are my kids, I will never think any kid is as cute as mine.  I know my kids don't look like models and the genetic odds are that they never will.  Still, I've never seen a child as beautiful as my own.  I not only assume, but deeply hope, that you think that your children are even cuter than mine.  I hope you think mine are cute, but I hope that no child looks half as cute to you as yours does.  Because, you see, the truth is that most of us, and most of our kids, are pretty average.  Nevertheless, I firmly believe that each child deserves to have someone in their life who thinks they are the most adorable, wonderful creature in the world (or, in our case, one of the three most).  Every kid needs that--just ask any kid who didn't/doesn't have it.

So when you look at pictures of my kids, I hope that you ooh and ahh and giggle just as I do when I see the new pictures you post of your kids.  But I hope you always see the most beautiful face in the world when you look at your child.

In that vein, when I make a comment about one of my children being strong or smart or what have you, I mean no boastfulness. I see these things as rather benign descriptions, with no inherent virtue in them.  How they are used can be a virtue, certainly (or a vice, just as certainly, and perhaps more often), but my kids are too young to have harnessed these qualities and effectively use them in a consciously positive manner.  And for the most part I don't think it really says anything about me.  My level of intelligence, strength, creativity, imaginativeness, etc., is not dependent on my child's abilities (lets face it--they're not increasing any!).  I love my children.  Whether they have an IQ of 150 or are struggling to learn to read in 5th grade, I will love them and think them wonderful all the same.  

What I think will reflect upon me as a parent is how well behaved my children generally are.  How well they know the stories of the scriptures, how well they understand the Gospel; the way that they treat each other and others.  I want them to be full of joy their whole lives, and know these are the things that are the keys to joyfulness.  If I can teach them good values and proper priorities, then I might brag (though I hope I won't).  But for now, I share facts as I see them (if you think they're colored a bit, feel free to tell me so), but I'm just trying to figure out who they are and what challenges I'm going to need to be prepared for in teaching them those things.  I love their fantastic personalities, and am humbled by their strengths and doing my best to help them with their weaknesses.