MamiWorksBeing a mom is simply put… hard. Being a mom of girls is hard AND scary. In a world full of craziness, my innate feeling to be a mama bear and protect my daughters (emotionally & physically) is NEVER at ease. Because my daughters are so young, it is difficult for me to put into words all I want them to know.
From day one I have made sure that my girls are filled with positive thoughts and affirmations. Whenever my girls have a booboo or are scared or do not feel like they can do something, I always tell them “You are brave. You are smart. You are beautiful. You are strong. You are caring.” Then I have them repeat it. “I am brave. I am smart. I am beautiful. I am strong. I am caring.” Most of the time, they repeat it and get through the obstacle. There are even times when they say the affirmations before I do, which is always a proud mami moment. It is in my proud mami moments that I am overwhelmed with emotions that I cannot verbalize because there are so many things I want them to know.
Fortunately, one picture has changed that. If a picture is worth 1000 words then the one pictured above (by Stephanie Melissa Photography) is PRICELESS. Why? Because this one picture conveys all of the emotions that I feel as a mother to my daughters but can’t verbalize. At first sight, It literally took my breath away and left me speechless (which is not easy to do). When I look at this picture, I see the words of wisdom for life that I want my daughters to know and believe.
I want my daughters to know and believe:
1. That they can have the best of both worlds AND more. Listening to anyone who tells them anything different should never be an option.
2. That like a ballerina they can be delicate, graceful, elegant, classy, flexible, athletic and able to twirl with the wind. They should never set limits, but always work hard, look for opportunities, follow their dreams and break boundaries.
3. At the same time they can be comfortable in their shoes and not be afraid to put on sneakers to walk, run, get in the dirt, get hands on and/or climb to the top. The road is not always smooth and everything does not always go as planned… but they should stay confident, believe in themselves and always have a backup plan (or 2). If they fail, they should stand back up and try again.
4. That they are not just one dimensional… they are multidimensional. It is important for them to respect themselves, know their self worth and never be afraid to be who they are.
5. They can be whatever they want as long as they are always on their toes. Material possessions, the promise of money or the knight in shining armor should not guide their actions. They should live within their means, always practice good manners, be kind and be healthy (eat well, exercise, etc…).
When I look at this picture, I see what I want my daughters to be. If you could verbalize all of the emotions you have for your child/ren… what would you say? Can you even put into words the feelings that you have as a parent?
My name is Michelle and I am the wife of the hardest working man I know, the Mami of 3 beautiful and AMAZING girls and a Pathologists’ Assistant turned Stay at Home Mami turned Mompreneur of not one… or two… but three businesses! I am super excited to share my experiences and learn from you. As women/moms/entrepreneurs, we must stick together and support each other!
This is beyond special! I am going to print it out to have when my babe gets older!! It is overwhelming to see them grow so fast and you feel like you haven’t given them all the tools, or the right tools, all the information, or the wrong information. But it must be done! A mother’s job never stops nor does her love!
Jennifer… I truly appreciate your kind words and am so happy that you enjoyed the post and can relate! As a mami I don’t think we will ever be able to give our kids all of the tools they need (as much as we want to) but I couldn’t agree more… our job never stops, nor does the love!!!
XO,
MIchelle