Today the Friends Of Ricki facebook page asked this question:
Do you love and accept your children for who they are with
no Strings Attached?
He loves to dance so I try to play music for him everyday so he can get his boogie on! He goes crazy for So You Think You Can Dance and he tries to copy their moves whenever he's watching or hears music. His favorite dancer was Cyrus and he would just go wild watching him dance. He also loves to dress up in his sissy's princess dresses, high heel shoes, hats, necklaces, etc. He insisted on wearing my daughter's red Snow White t-shirt to Disneyland one day with his brown and green camo pants! It was pretty funny because we could not change his mind. My parents were taking the kids that day and I was impressed with them that they just let him roll as a Snow White army man. I loved that they didn't care that he wanted to wear a "girls shirt" to a very public place and just let him do what made him happy. They mentioned getting a few odd looks and some questions for it too. But who cares? He was only 18 months old! They remained positive in their answers to these questions too.
I love them for that! Thanks mom & dad!
I have never once ever said to my children "that is only for boys" or "that is only for girls." Or "Boys don't do that" or "girls don't do that." Or, "You can't be that because you are a boy or because you are a girl." And I hope I never will. You like what you like. My daughter loves to dig for worms and play with bugs, she loves science and nature. I call her my "lil Jane Goodall." Girls and boys should be free to be whomever they want. That is what makes the world a beautiful place when people have freedom of expression for who they truly are!
When I was in elementary school I said to my dad once, "Well girls can't be a plumber, right?" and he said, "why not?" and I said, "because that is a boy's job." My dad very lovingly said to his young, impressionable daughter waaaaaay back in the 80's, "You can do whatever makes you happy. Whether that means you are a truck driver or a plumber, a teacher, a doctor, a mom. We just want you to be happy."
Thank you Dad! I love you for that. I'll never forget that conversation for as long as I live. I pass those words of wisdom along to my children that you spoke to me oh-so-long-ago. I never did want to become a plumber, but I always knew that if I did, I would be encouraged to do so. Thank you!
How would you answer this question? Comment below.
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
-Oscar Wilde
