Today was the school carnival, and the kids were excited as everyone arrived dressed as their favorite characters. As I dropped off Mini-me, I couldn't help but notice that most of the girls were dressed as fairies, princesses, or mermaids. Mini Me's face fell as she realized she wanted to be a princess too.
Initially, I considered taking her home to change into a princess costume since we had plenty of time. But then I thought, why not turn this into a valuable learning moment? I opened the backseat door, sat down beside her, and connected on her level. I empathized with her feelings and filled her affirmation tank, reminding her that she is our princess and doesn’t need a costume to prove it.
I reassured her that it’s perfectly okay to be different and stand out from the crowd. With each word, her frown transformed into a bright, confident smile. As we prepared to part ways, I had her repeat, “I won’t think about anybody - I only think about ME.” She echoed it back with enthusiasm before exchanging our usual parting hugs and “I love yous.”
I reminded her to promise me she’d be bright and smiling when I picked her up later. This weekend, she can dress up as any princess she desires, and I’ll even buy her more costumes! But today’s lesson was about self-acceptance and pride in being unique.
When I got back home, while reflecting on my uncertainty as to whether or not I handled the matter well, I joined Coach Wendy’s live webinar on emotional intelligence. One quote resonated deeply: “Stop removing mountains for your children; instead, teach your children how to climb the mountain.” I aspire to be the kind of parent who equips my children with the skills to navigate life’s challenges independently while embracing their individuality.
I want to be that parent that teaches my children to manage themselves in any situation even when I’m not there.
These are some things I had to struggle to learn as an adult and I want to ensure my children are prepared for the challenges of adulthood.
In all of these I just pray her day goes well.
Do you think it was too much for her? She will be five next weekend.
Alhamdulillah for everything!!
#EmbraceUniqueness #ParentingJourney #EmotionalIntelligence
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