What Your Strong-Willed Daughter Would Say If She Wasn't So Strong-Willed

Our fall favorites are here! 🍂

I need you in my life. I really do love you.

See me as a leader. Give me opportunities to be in charge, but never tell me it’s ok to be in charge of you.

I need boundaries. I may hate them and I may rebel against them, but if you set a rule and a consequence, I need you to follow through.

I may say “I don’t care” when you follow through with a consequence, but I really do and I really need you to follow through whether I care or not.

When you follow through, you not only build my trust, but you also earn my respect.

When you don’t follow through, I will take full advantage of this weakness in the future.

I will manipulate you to get my way, but don’t let me get away with it. Remember those boundaries you set are healthy for me and I really do need them.

You know what is best for me. I don’t. I know I don’t and yet I pretend I do, waiting for you to take charge. When you don’t, I actually feel very insecure.

Even though my will is strong, I am only a child. I am not the boss of you and I am not capable nor mature enough for that role, so please don’t give it to me. I will abuse that power.

You have authority over me. God gave that to you. He made you my parent and I want to look up to you for wisdom and guidance.

And I need your constant guidance, but not your constant punishments.

I need you to believe in me, see the good in me, and encourage me.

I want your attention. Positive, fun, let’s-just-spend-time-together attention.

I crave your time—your undivided-I-just-want-to-be-with-you-and-get-to-know-you-because-I simply-delight-in-you kind of time.

I need to know you are on my team.

I need to hear “Let’s figure out a solution together!” or “How do you think you should solve this problem and how can I help?”

I want to know you’re here for me.

I need your love. Your it’s-ok-to-make-mistakes kind of love.

I need to know your love remains constant even if I have blue hair or black nail polish.

Please don’t just focus on my appearance or how pretty I am or how good at something I am. Focus on who I am.

I need to hear you love my character and what God put in my heart not just my performance in school or in a sport or in an activity.

I need you to lighten up. Please don’t take everything so seriously with me.

Don’t nitpick every little thing I do or I will just shut down on you.

Laugh with me and applaud me on small efforts.

Give me chances to try again. Teach me. I will learn.

Open my eyes to see how all you have to teach me helps me with my future. I need to know how I benefit before I will “buy” what you’re “selling.”

I need you to be flexible. Not when it comes to safety or character or making good choices for my life, but when it comes to little things that really don’t matter in the grand scheme of life. Please don’t pick every battle with me.

I will do everything in my power to win each battle you do pick to fight with me, so be prepared.

I will turn even the smallest request into the biggest fight you’ve ever seen. Choose wisely and prayerfully.

Know when to let things go and when to step up and fight for what is right for me and my life. Again, I will respect that even though I may act like I hate it.

I will exhaust you, but please don’t give up on me.

Did you hear me? Please don’t give up on me.

I need you in my life.

I need you on my side.

I need your patience and your prayers.

Please pray for me every day, every hour, even every minute.

Pray the Lord leads me in the direction He wants me to go because I promise you this. . .

God gave me this strong will to change the world!

And I will do just that. . . if you will keep believing in me!

So God Made a Mother book by Leslie Means

If you liked this, you'll love our new book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!

Order Now

Her View Shop

Christine Leeb

Christine Leeb--Speaker and Christian Family Coach specializing in Parenting and Child Discipline. Founder of Real Life Families--a non-profit organization building better families through free classes and resources. Mother to three awesome (and exhausting) children from whom she shamefully hides brownies. Wife to one patient (and polar-opposite) husband with whom she constantly quotes "Friends". www.RealLifeFamilies.org

The Letting Go Happens Tooth by Tooth

In: Kids, Motherhood

There is something about a toothless grin. Not the gummy smile of infancy, but the wide-gapped delight of a child who has newly lost a tooth. Today’s was not the first tooth my son has lost—the first was over a year ago—but today, the fifth tooth, was a top one, and today his smile seemed to announce with an oh, so in my face clarity, that he and I had better make room for adulthood (or at least, pre-tweendom?). He is shedding his babyhood. Those teeth that kept me up at night on their way in have outgrown their use....

Keep Reading

To the Parents Facing a Child’s Illness: You Are Strong

In: Grief, Kids, Motherhood

Toddler with cast and IV looking out window

If you are the parents who just sat for hours in a cold doctor’s office to hear that your child has a life-threatening illness, you are so strong. If you are the parents who can’t bring yourself to decorate or celebrate the unknown because you don’t know if they’ll ever come home, you are so strong. If you are the parents who travel or relocate to deliver your child in one of the best hospitals with hopes it will change the outcome, you are so strong. If you are the parents who learn all the medical terminology so you understand...

Keep Reading

I Am a Mother Evolving

In: Grown Children, Kids, Motherhood, Teen

Mother and child walking by water in black and white photo

Those who mean well squawk the refrain— “The days are long, but the years are short.” They said I would miss it— little feet and newborn baby smell nursing in the wee hours with a tiny hand clutching mine. Tying shoes, playing tooth fairy, soothing scary dreams. They were fine times, but I do not wish them back. RELATED: Mamas, Please Quit Mourning Your Children Growing Up I rather enjoy these days of my baby boy suddenly looking like a young man in a baseball uniform on a chilly Wednesday in April. And my Amazonian teenage girl with size 11...

Keep Reading

Kids Need Grace and So Do Their Moms

In: Faith, Kids, Motherhood, Toddler

We were having a hard morning. Our house was overrun with toys, I hadn’t had a chance to get dressed, and my stress level was increasing by the minute. To top it all off, my 3-year-old was having a meltdown anytime I spoke to her. Even looking in her general direction was a grave mistake. It was one of those days that as a parent, you know you’re really in for it. I was quickly losing my patience. My frustration began to ooze out of me. I snapped orders, stomped around, and my attitude quite clearly was not pleasant to...

Keep Reading

As a Nurse, This Is How I Prepared My Daughter for Her First Period

In: Kids, Motherhood, Teen, Tween

Woman wearing sunglasses with hands on the sides of her face and smiling, black and white photo

I don’t remember my first period, which means my mother had me well prepared. This doesn’t mean I was okay with it. I remember feeling awkward and tense each time. And honestly, for many years, shopping for feminine hygiene products filled me with unease. But wait a minute! There shouldn’t be anything shameful about something that will recur for about half of a woman’s life! Who decided it was to be a sensitive subject? Aren’t we all supposed to show empathy toward each other when it comes to this? I say, pass the Midol around, sister! I knew the time...

Keep Reading

With Grandkids, It’s The Little Things

In: Kids, Living, Motherhood

Nine children sitting on a couch together

We had just pulled into the driveway when our youngest grandtwins, 3-year-old Ellis and Brady, came running out the front door and down the steps to hug us. “Let me see your earrings, Grandma,” Ellis said, reaching up to pull me down to his level. “The green M&Ms! I told you, Brady!” “Those are the ones our brother Adler picked out for you!” Brady yelled as he ushered us into the house and started going through the tote bag I always carry for them, filled with favorite books from our house and three little bags of snacks in the bottom....

Keep Reading

Childhood Is Not a Race

In: Kids, Motherhood, Tween

Two young girls playing in creek bed, color photo

Sweet child, I know you want to grow up. You want to get older and do more and more. I see you changing day after day. You are no longer a little girl, but you’re turning into a young lady. You’re becoming this wonderful person who leads and cares for others. It’s a beautiful thing to watch. But don’t rush out of your childhood. It’s this beautiful season where wonder and discovery live. It’s this beautiful time when you don’t have to carry the weight of adulthood. It’s this beautiful time. Savor it. Slow down and enjoy it. Breathe in...

Keep Reading

There’s Something Special about Band Kids

In: Kids

There is something incredibly special about band kids. The hours of practice that begin in elementary school. It’s the squeaking and squawking of a new alto or the flutter of early flute days, high-pitched honks from a trumpet, constant and consistent tapping . . . drumming on everything. And gallons of spit too, until one day a few years down the road, you realize all that practice time has turned into an incredible melody and skill. The alarm that goes off at 5:35 a.m., and before most people are awake, band kids have sleepily found a quick breakfast bite, grabbed...

Keep Reading

You’ll Grow So Much In Kindergarten and I Can’t Wait to Watch

In: Kids

Two young children in backpacks walk toward a school building

On her seventh day of school, my kindergartener doesn’t cry. It was a long road to this day. For the first six days of school, we experienced varying degrees of screaming, clinging, running back inside our house and slamming the door, and expressing general displeasure with the whole idea of school. “I wanna stay home with YOU, Mommy!” “But Charlotte, you are bored out of your mind every day of the summer. You hate it.” “No I don’t. I LOVE IT.” “Well we can spend every afternoon after school and all weekend together. You’ll be tired of me in five...

Keep Reading

Six Feels So Much Bigger

In: Child, Kids, Motherhood

Six . . . Six is only one number more than five, one grade, one year . . . but it feels so different. Five is baby teeth and new beginnings. Five is venturing out into the world, maybe making a friend. Meeting a teacher. Learning to ride a bike. Six took my breath away. Six looks like a loose front tooth—tiny and wiggly, soon to be replaced by a big tooth, one that will stay forever. Six looks like a bright purple bike zooming down the driveway. RELATED: When There Are No More Little Girls’ Clothes Six looks like playing...

Keep Reading

The Day My World Changed Forever

Death of a Spouse

The Day My World Changed Forever

Mothering White: A Privilege Worth Talking About

Kids

What Your Strong-Willed Daughter Would Say If She Wasn’t So Strong-Willed

If you liked this, you'll love our new book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!

Her View Shop

Christine Leeb

The Letting Go Happens Tooth by Tooth

To the Parents Facing a Child’s Illness: You Are Strong

I Am a Mother Evolving

Kids Need Grace and So Do Their Moms

As a Nurse, This Is How I Prepared My Daughter for Her First Period

With Grandkids, It’s The Little Things

Childhood Is Not a Race

There’s Something Special about Band Kids

You’ll Grow So Much In Kindergarten and I Can’t Wait to Watch

Six Feels So Much Bigger

free email bonus

5 Ways to Connect with Your Kids

A National Bestseller!

Order So God Made a Mother

What Your Strong-Willed Daughter Would Say If She Wasn’t So Strong-Willed

If you liked this, you'll love our new book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!

Her View Shop

The Letting Go Happens Tooth by Tooth

To the Parents Facing a Child’s Illness: You Are Strong

I Am a Mother Evolving

Kids Need Grace and So Do Their Moms

As a Nurse, This Is How I Prepared My Daughter for Her First Period

With Grandkids, It’s The Little Things

Childhood Is Not a Race

There’s Something Special about Band Kids

You’ll Grow So Much In Kindergarten and I Can’t Wait to Watch

Six Feels So Much Bigger

Previous Post

Next Post

You May Also Like

5 Ways to Connect with Your Kids