Parenting but not taming the kids.

I’m the extremely proud, but also tired Mum of a girl who has strength and passion that some could only dream of.

She was born determined. Every plan I had went out the window when she made her entrance into this world. It should have been a sign then.

The youngest and only girl in a big family of boys, she was never meant to bend. She was born to stand tall and firm in what she believes in.

My Nana passed on through my Mum the advice “If your kids are all different, it means you’re doing your job as a parent well. They are confident and safe to be themselves”

Somedays I say this to myself through the most gritted of teeth as I sigh and think “Why can’t she be more placid, why is this so important to her, the why after why after why”

But watching her, I’m reminded of exactly why.

She loves, and thinks ferociously. Her ideas can’t just stay as ideas, she NEEDS to see them come to life. She believes in them.

And how amazing is that. To have that belief. Remember that belief in ourselves? Before the naysayers and the self esteem crashes kick in? That belief that we can do things. It gets lost sometimes and as her Mum I need to remind myself to nurture and embrace every part of that.

Because let’s face it. The people that do things differently? The people brave enough to be themselves and follow through with conviction? They’re the ones who make the change.

These traits that I see in her, so many kids have. So while we are exhausted, let’s continue to encourage and nurture it. Let’s not fill their heads with the why’s and how’s. Let’s give them some space and let them follow it through. Encourage them to be brave enough to give it a go. If it fails, who cares? Because you know what? What if it doesn’t? What if that child who was brave enough to try, grows up knowing they can try and try again. Imagine the amazing things they will achieve.

So to the tired parents. I see you. But don’t forget. You’re tired because you’re doing amazing work. You’re shaping minds to believe in themselves and if that doesn’t give you hope, then you need to look again, because it’s incredible.