I’m writing to briefly introduce myself and tell consumers what has driven me to come to the Swedish Redmond pediatric clinic, which I now call home. I have been practicing for almost 17 years now and it was the birth of my older child that put me on this path of understanding what it is to truly be a pediatrician.
Her smiles, her coos, her cries and her laughter made me realize there’s more to pediatrics than just curing ailments effectively and efficiently, and getting kids and parents out the door. Thus started a journey of trying to know the minds of these precious bundles we call kids.
Kahlil Gibran wrote about children:
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
But seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
We have been given this immense responsibility to raise these little ones, teaching them compassion, intelligence, dignity, respect and a sense of responsibility to lead spectacular lives. If you just pause and think with your heart, it seems so easy! But it can be a challenging and daunting task.
I have two kids, both teenagers. I have taken care of thousands of children, who all are my babies. I have laughed with them, cried with them, stood proudly for their honor rolls, felt pain at their loss and defeat. And they all have taught me three crucial things: acceptance, patience and listening with an open mind and heart.
My goal is to write blog posts to help all parents as we nurture these young, remarkable minds so that our future is amazing and we leave behind a legacy that coming generations will be proud of. I will focus on posting behavioral tips, shortcuts and strategies that have helped me bring happiness parenting my kids and several others.
Have an amazing day.
And if you need help with questions about parenting, call Swedish Pediatrics at 1-800-793-3474. We have many convenient locations to care for your children.
