Insightful

Oh the mind of a 9 year old. Her wheels are always turning and to this day she still has a million questions. I'm glad she still comes to me with them. In the car tonight she asked, "why are dad's so protective of their daughters?" I responded with, "it's just a very special bond between a daughter and her dad, he wants to protect her from anything he can." That seemed to settle her mind for a minute until "isn't strange that girls take pride in being daddy's girl but boy's are ridiculed for being a mama's boy?" I answered in agreement. What a strange place we find ourselves in raising girls. We want them to be respectful and respectable yet they are sent so many mixed messages and double standards, it's a miracle they ever figure it all out.
I am thankful for how I was raised. I was never expected to be anyone but myself. I hope we are giving Macie the same freedom. She seems to be comfortable in her own skin. She's a girl who loves sports(even plays flag football), dances and sings and loves to get a mani/pedi with me. She devours books and loves to learn but is the first to ask for the funnies from the Sunday morning paper. She is very social but can often be found alone reading a book in the tree in our front yard. It can be such a daunting task, helping your child navigate the world. It's a fine line between steering them where you think they should go and letting them take the reigns to where they want to be and who they will become. I hope at the very least, we are giving her the foundation she needs to make choices that are right for her.