The Year I Stopped Playing with Dolls

That twenty-second day of May could have been just like any other day except that I woke up and Mother was not at home.

Later, Dad came home with the good news. "We have a baby girl," he announced. I waited with great expectation to see the bundle of joy everyone was talking about.

I did not have to wait for long, in a few days, Mother was back at home with this little bundle wrapped in floral flannel with the brightest eyes you could ever imagine, and far more beautiful than all my dolls.

I stayed glued to Mother’s side, watched her feed, bath, change and care for the baby. Everywhere she turned I was there like the shell on the back of a snail, I followed her. I watched and I learnt.

Of course, Mother wasted no time to show me the ropes—how to hold the baby when feeding her, where you put your finger when you pin the terry nappy, how to make the feeds and wash the bottles.

I went up and down the house to bring whatever she needed whenever she needed it. My excitement was boundless: I was helping to take care of my baby sister. I touched her, held her hands and hug her, but I wanted more. I wanted to hold her in my arms.

Mother said, “Wait, be patient.”

It was not long before my patience was rewarded. Mother sat me in a sofa in the sitting room, she placed the baby on my laps, propped her head against the crock of my arms, gave me the bottle and showed me how to feed her. After that day, playing with dolls was not much fun anymore—I had greater fun helping to take care of a real baby.



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 That was 1972.

That was the year Mother showed me and taught me how to take care of babies with my baby sister. And I was just about 6 years old. She was the first of the many babies I have since taken care of.

It is incredible how much a child can learn and how early a child can be actively involved in contributing at home as an act of service. Daryl Hoole in The Art of Homemaking wrote, “It is in the home where children best learn to express love by serving one another.”

Skills which will make a child a responsible, competent and contributing adult are best nurtured in the home. What I learnt from Mother that year and afterwards stayed with me throughout my life.

Even more important is that it created a special bonding between my sister and I—I was a part of nurturing and caring for her. I have followed closely her life’s journey since then, and shared in both her good times and her not-so-good times.

It was melodious music to my ears, listening to her yesterday. She was overflowing with ebullient joy. I could tell across thousands of kilometers how overwhelmed she was at the faithfulness of God. One minute, her voice was light and bubbly, the next, it was deepened with emotion. I could imagine her face radiating with happiness and a big smile flashing across her face. Her outlook of the future is brighter than before, as she testified of the breakthrough God had given her after years of being faced with many dead ends.

When I woke up this morning singing, “What a faithful God we serve…,” I knew I wanted to do something special to appreciate the faithfulness of God in her life.

1972 will always be a memorable year for me—the year I set my dolls aside and learnt the essence of serving with love.

To commemorate this, I ask you to join me and let us pray together for the 1972 Babies.

·    On the last day of each month, beginning from May 31^st, I will post the names of the 1972 babies I have for the month in a special blog post. The first edition will have names of those born between January and May.

·    I will request everyone to pray and also leave a word of encouragement for them. And I will do so too.

Here is what you can do:

·     Do you have a sister, brother or a friend born in 1972?

·     If yes, please share the first name and the birthday with me in the comment box below.

·     You can also send me an email if you would like to share more details – email address and specific prayer points. This information will not be posted in the blog.

Did you learn a lesson at home as a child which left an imprint on your life? Share your story in the comment box.