Finding Happiness in Being with Children

Last updated on March 18th, 2023 at 08:20 pm

Last week was all about finding happiness in spending time with two of the brightest lights in my life: my niece, Luna, five years old, and my nephew, Nico, three years old.

I love and adore these little people.

I took a much-needed vacation and relaxed on the Jersey shore at my parent’s beach house and in Philadelphia.

It was a rare treat, as all of my siblings were together at the house too. We were trying to remember the last time we gathered, thinking it was about four years ago.

My youngest sister, Margaret, lives on an organic farm in Montana, and we generally only get to see her once or twice a year. My middle sister, Carrie, the mother of my beautiful niece and nephew, most often lives abroad, so we usually only get to see her and the kids once or twice a year.

My brothers Shanti and Michael live in MA and CT, so I often see them living in upstate New York. However, gathering all the siblings is a rare and joyful occasion. And it’s a treat for all of us to get to spend with my adorable niece and nephew. I am close to the children, especially Luna, who instantly bonds with me again and follows me around when she visits.

“Everywhere you go, I go!” she said during this trip. I don’t mind being followed by an adorable little blonde angel who wants to be just like me and do what I do.

Giving my love and attention to sweet little ones who live joyfully brings me extra happiness. I know they say that parenting is the most significant responsibility and most immense joy there is, and I feel like, as an aunt, you get a taste of this! And, you sometimes get to be “the fun one” and do things with kids they may not do with their parents. I, for example, have been teaching five-year-old Luna the “Art of the Silly Selfie.”

Adventures with the Littles!

Being on the Jersey shore, just one block from the bay and four from the ocean in Longport, New Jersey, meant that my “adventures with the littles” included lots of beach time.

The kids love the ocean, as do I. I have always found being near the water to be incredibly soothing, probably because the ocean is so massive, and it always gives me a sense of perspective. I feel so small near the vast, mighty ocean. I love the sound of the waves and knowing that my little human problems are like a drop in the ocean.

Being near the ocean always makes me feel more peaceful and makes me feel like everything will be handed down. No problem is too big, and I can always reclaim my sense of inner peace.

Of course, for small children, the ocean and the beach are both just giant playgrounds. The beach means plenty of sand for sandcastles and for burying your aunts and uncles in the sand, and the ocean means waves to jump over and frolic in.

During this beach trip, the littles buried Margaret in sand up to her chest one day, calling her a “mermaid” with one giant tail made of sand. They built sand castles that Nico just as quickly knocked down.

Partly because a few days were overcast and rainy and also because we often go to the beach later in the day, so none of us extremely pale folks end up with a bad sunburn; there was less swimming than there normally is.

The “big kids,” i.e., Carrie, Margaret, Michael, Shanti, me, and my Mom, were content to sit things out and just lounge in the beach chairs. Going to the beach at 4 or 5 p.m. means the air temperature has dropped, and without the bright sun to warm you up as it will at midday, one has less incentive to want to go into the water.

I played with the kids this time, lounged in the beach chairs, and walked down to the rock jetty with my sisters at the far end of Longport, NJ. The beach visits were relaxing and fun; seeing the children enjoying the ocean and sand is always entertaining.

A Weekend in Philadelphia

Over the weekend, we headed to Philadelphia to enjoy the sights and activities there. Philly is a great city with beautiful historic architecture and many parks, arts, and cultural activities. It is also a “foodie” city, and everyone in my family loves food. My father is a gourmand and generally plans his vacations around “three squares,” or having three square meals daily.

He continuously researches the best restaurants in an area, finding out what is well-recommended and Zagat-rated.

We were staying in the Society Hill neighborhood of Philly near the water. This meant that the kids could enjoy several parks within easy walking distance and that we also had a wide range of restaurant choices within walking distance. One night, we decided to try an Israeli restaurant that had come highly recommended by my good friend and contractor, Vic Christopher.  Zahav, as it turned out, was only about 100 yards from our hotel.

We had a late reservation at 8:15 at night, so the kids ended up conking out on our laps, lying down, and napping on the cushioned bench where half of us sat.

The rest of us enjoyed a feast. We tried the “Tayim,” which is a tasting menu. Everyone was able to choose two mezze or tapas-size plates. I chose the marinated zucchini and fried potatoes with cheese. My sister got the halloumi with a fig, walnut paste, and duck hearts, which I steered clear of as a long-time vegetarian.

Before they brought out the mezze plates, the servers first brought a smorgasbord of cold salads, ranging from green beans in a spicy tomato sauce to carrots with mint to tabouli. We also tried the Turkish hummus, which was served hot with melted butter drizzled on top. It was outrageously delicious!

My small-plate-sized entree was the Bronzino, which is a fish that was served with chickpeas and herbs. Again, delicious, as was everything that was served. We were too full for dessert, so we took the cinnamon babkas (little cinnamon cakes) and knafeh (a sweet dessert made with shredded wheat and cheese) with strawberry jam back to the hotel with us to have for breakfast the next day.

My Happiness is Seeing You Smile

Anyone who truly loves a child knows that the greatest gift is seeing that child happy, carefree, and simply enjoying life. I had so much fun playing with the children over the past week and loved being able to contribute to their happiness.

The children are affectionate and often tell us they love us and want hugs and kisses. As every parent knows, many children reach ages, especially in their teenage years, when they often do not even want to be seen with their parents publicly.

So walking everywhere holding hands with a child, carrying them because they are still small enough that you can, or having a little one fall asleep on your while out during an evening’s meal is, to me, a joy and privilege and a way to connect with happiness.