God Smiled the Day He Built the Wild Child

To the mama who feels like all she did today was argue.

To the mama who feels like she had to say no way more than yes.

To the mama who had to choose her battles all day long.

To the mama who was greeted with more sass than sweetness.

To the mama who feels like her child questions absolutely everything.

To the mama who is tired.

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You are not alone. I see you.

Moms blessed with these babes were made for this. 

God smiled the day He built them, these children who will undoubtedly change the world. 

They were created with a specific purpose, they’ll be the ones who make a difference. 

They aren’t timid, so they won’t stay silent. 

They aren’t scared, so they’ll be fearless when it’s their time to shine.

They’re stubborn, so they won’t give up when the road gets rough.

They’re independent, so they’ll never need to trust the wrong person.

They’re persistent, so they’ll reach any target they want to.

To mamas with the strong-willed children, sometimes it feels like they don’t need us. But we have so much to teach them. 

Teach them when to respect authority but also when to question it.

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Love their independence, but assure them it’s OK to ask for help.

Embrace their sass, but make certain they understand how far kindness can go.

Give them boundaries but also let them create their own.

Welcome their countless questions but educate them on how some of life’s greatest questions don’t have just one answer. 

Parenting these children sometimes feels like an uphill battle. You rarely feel like you’re getting it right. You lay in bed at night wondering what you could have done better, how tomorrow can be filled with fewer meltdowns and more laughter.  

But there are moments when you look at your tiny little wonder and know that one day, she’ll change the world.

You know that all the years of developing her drive and determination will be for the most amazing cause. Because she’ll always be headstrong. She’ll always be questioning. She’ll always want to do all the things herself. And she’ll use these qualities to make wonderful strides. Along the way, you’ll have taught her all the other important things.

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Like the power of kindness.

The significance of having patience. 

The acceptance of others and their differences.

An appreciation for diversity. 

You’ll have done your very best to help her become the best, most well-rounded version of herself. The confident, generous, and insightful person she was meant to be.

So for now, soak it all in.

Be proud of every little piece of her personality. Treasure those cuddles and think of them when the skies are a little gray. Remember her kindness on a day when you’ve been given more cheek than smiles. Give grace on days when she needs an explanation for everything. Practice being lenient in times when she strives to do every little task herself. And most of all, take comfort in knowing that someday, she might run the world. 

For Madelyn, my own strong-willed child.

Previously published on the author’s blog