Considering Caged Birds

We've been reading a really cool book for school lately called "The Land I Lost."  This is the second time we've read it since this is the second time that Eastern Hemisphere has rolled around in our Sonlight curriculum, since I'm on my second batch of kiddos.  Secondly.... it is about Vietnam, a very long time ago.  A man tells stories about his boyhood adventures-- lots of giant snakes, water buffalos, monkeys, alligators, wild boars and birds.  One of the bird stories that we read the other day really impacted me and got me thinking.


The story is about two little kids who captured a few birds so that they could have music in their house. They kept the birds in three cages.  They were having a problem catching enough bugs to feed their birds and they were afraid that if they let the birds free, they'd never come back.

One day the kids went to visit an old guy who had a bunch of pet animals in his house-- none of them were in cages.  They were so curious how the man kept his animals around.  Then they learned his secret.  Every day, at about the same time,  he would light up his pipe and the smoke would fill the room.  All of the animals, including the lizard on the ceiling would become relaxed and happy and the birds would sing.  So, of course, the kids wanted to know what the guy was smoking!  He gave them some of the residue from his pipe and told them to mix it into their birds' water each day.  After three days, they should open the cages and let the birds go free.

They did what the man told them.  The birds flew away.

But they also came back.

And this went on for quite some time... the birds hanging around the house, singing happily, flying out to catch their own bugs, and then returning home for the 'special water.'

So, what do you think of that?


I'm a bit obsessed with birds, our nest and my role as a mama bird, so maybe that's why I started thinking about my children when I heard this story.  They are getting older.  They are starting to fly away.  And I miss them terribly when they are gone.  I miss their songs!  So, I'm wondering what I can "put in the water" to keep them coming back home.  What can I use to help them feel happy and relaxed when they're here?

Don't worry, I'm not suggesting opium!

But what about love?  How about praise?  How about some genuine fun and acceptance and laughter? 

From what I'm seeing, locking down the cages doesn't work for long.  We can't possibly collect enough bugs!  Our kids need to leave sometimes.  The families whose kids stick around and keep coming back even when the cage door is open, are not the perfectly strict families with tons of rules and striving and bribing and manipulation.  Nope, those are the families that often scatter to the four winds, sometimes never to return.

It's quite the opposite!  The families that stay together are full of love and freedom and acceptance-- because those are things that our kids are looking for.  That's what we're all looking for!

That's the "drug" that's so addicting it'll cause grown adults to call their parents when they're having a bad day and college students to come home for the weekend just to relax and unwind.  That's the longing of the human heart!

And if it's not satisfied at home--if we, as parents, are not dishing out the "special water"...

then who is?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!  I'm on a major learning curve right now--trying to morph my parenting style for big kids and adults.  I wasn't a very happy teenager.  I flew the coop and kept on flying.  But I find that I'm still needing that "water,"  even as an adult!  I used to think that God was "enough," but now I'm not so sure.  These days I'm thinking that He gave us people so that He could hug us and say nice, encouraging things to us and help us walk the heavy road.  What do you think?