I have been involved in several conversations lately where I have overheard other mommies talking about how their young children, pre-schoolish age, are already being exposed to things like cliques and negativity from other kids. I hear these stories, sort-of shudder with a small residual twinge of my own childhood angst, and have thought to myself- "Really? In preschool this nonsense is already happening, seriously??". My next thought is usually, to be so thankful that I have nothing to contribute or share in said conversation, because Harper is surrounded by a bunch of toddlers that give her hugs for greetings and help get her coat for her and things are generally just cherries and rainbows around her. Only problem is that she won't be a toddler for ever, life is not always cherries and rainbows, and it would appear that these issues are going to be our world too in the not too distant future. Sad face.
So, I guess I need to get geared up for supporting an impressionable little girl through this craziness much earlier than I was hoping for-- you know like 10 years from now when I would obviously would have been much more mature, seasoned, wise, etc and poised to offer the perfect advice and guidance.
I read something yesterday, though, and it totally resonated with me. I am as a rule almost entirely adverse to those motivation and inspiration posters- you know the ones with the mountains and streams that talk about achieving great heights and perseverance and who knows what other b.s. When I see them up in people's offices, I actually cringe a little bit- they just seem so cheesy to me. But this one little statement I read completely caught me, clearly because it is something that I wrestle with frequently as a woman and a mommy myself.
"Dismiss the voices of perfection and competition.
They are loud but quite unenlightened. They'd have you waste your entire life."
Beautiful advice for all of us. I can only hope that sentiments like this will help shape my ability to instill an unwavering confidence in Harper Grace about herself and her life... What a blessing that would be for our little girl.
