This is a draft I meant to post a year ago... still applies today:
Some day both kids decide to wear black rubber boots and shorts. Ellie picks out her shirt every day so I wait to pick out her pants after she puts on the pink and yellow striped shirt--sometimes black leggings are the only pants that match. Henry has worn a tutu on walks & Ellie often wears two tutus to the park. Henry hugs & kisses religious statues. Ellie rolls around and squeals in the shopping cart like it's a sinking ship. They are becoming real people with very different personalities and all I can do is support them.
Some of us, got lucky and were raised by parents who did this for us, parents who wanted nothing more than for us to feel loved and smart and beautiful exactly as we are. Unfortunately, many didn't have this experience and thus struggle to believe any of those adjectives apply to them, at least not without squelching their true selves or making serious changes. Under the best circumstances, their parents believed by making their kid more "normal" and "socially acceptable", their child's life would be easier. And (no surprise) having "normal" kids made life easier for the parents who saved face in the eyes of their peers.
So when I saw what this Mom decided to share with the world via Facebook I couldn't help but smile. This Mom decided to share her son's story in a way that says "SCREW YOU" to the would-be bullies of adulthood (talk-behind-your-back-wimps, bible-quotes-as-put-downs-insulters, etc). Regardless of your 'moral' stance, you have to respect her courage as a shining example of the warm, open way a new generation of parents are embracing their children--exactly as they are.
So when we're at a store and both kids, in unison, start singing "Happy Birthday" to an LED candle... I just stand back and smile, reminding myself I want them to stay this confident and full of life forever. It's not always easy but it's always worth it.
To give proper credit, I found the link here: "Woman Gives Birth to 18 Year Old" http://www.upworthy.com/this-mom-posted-a-fantastic-announcement-on-facebook-about-giving-birth-to-an-18-year-old-lw1-2?c=ufb1
Some of us, got lucky and were raised by parents who did this for us, parents who wanted nothing more than for us to feel loved and smart and beautiful exactly as we are. Unfortunately, many didn't have this experience and thus struggle to believe any of those adjectives apply to them, at least not without squelching their true selves or making serious changes. Under the best circumstances, their parents believed by making their kid more "normal" and "socially acceptable", their child's life would be easier. And (no surprise) having "normal" kids made life easier for the parents who saved face in the eyes of their peers. So when I saw what this Mom decided to share with the world via Facebook I couldn't help but smile. This Mom decided to share her son's story in a way that says "SCREW YOU" to the would-be bullies of adulthood (talk-behind-your-back-wimps, bible-quotes-as-put-downs-insulters, etc). Regardless of your 'moral' stance, you have to respect her courage as a shining example of the warm, open way a new generation of parents are embracing their children--exactly as they are.So when we're at a store and both kids, in unison, start singing "Happy Birthday" to an LED candle... I just stand back and smile, reminding myself I want them to stay this confident and full of life forever. It's not always easy but it's always worth it.
To give proper credit, I found the link here: "Woman Gives Birth to 18 Year Old" http://www.upworthy.com/this-mom-posted-a-fantastic-announcement-on-facebook-about-giving-birth-to-an-18-year-old-lw1-2?c=ufb1
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