I was going to do a general post on encouraging my girls, but I realized that I can’t lump them together into one. They are so different. Encouraging them looks different too.
Katy knows what she wants.
And she isn’t afraid of voicing her opinion. She isn’t rude, just blunt.
She’s so tough at times, that I almost forget that she’s all mush
inside. When a bully said, “You aren’t
my friend” at the bus stop a few weeks ago, Katy nearly melted. It broke my heart to have to put her on the
bus when she was so tender and raw.
Katy has a wild stubborn streak that I both admire (as a
bystander) and am unnerved by (as a parent).
I’m sure my parents would say she takes after me. Billy’s would say she takes after him. I’m just going to point out that only one of
us still has that stubborn streak as an adult…1.2.3…not it!
Katy tries to act bigger than she is, but the fact is, she’s still
a little girl. And this little girl
often needs a good dose of recharging and family time.
When I notice that she’s starting to act out and get upset, she’s
either tired or we haven’t spent any time together…or both. Getting caught up in the to-dos of life, I
often overlook spending precious time with this little one. And her behavior is quick to remind me.
So encouraging Katy looks like hanging out, spending time with
her, showing her that she matters. She
likes to snuggle, read books, color together and watch the Food Network. She loves to “help” me cook. She will often break out into song and
dance. You can tell that she is content
when she’s singing. She’s been known to
break out into some classic rock, like The Who.
All that she asks, is for me to be present.
Her spirit often lifts mine up.
I remember one time, during survival mode, when I was tucking her into
bed. I was so tired from sleep
deprivation. I laid my head down on her
belly. She started stroking my hair
saying, “It will be ok.” Each night, she
sneaks out of her room almost immediately after I tuck her in for more snuggles
and kisses. The song in her heart is
clear every day.
I hope that as she grows, I will continue to show her that I am
here, I am watching, and she is loved.
This post is part of
my series:
To start from the
beginning, please visit this page for a full listing.
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Be kind, not judgey