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She is a little storm of energy, passion and independence that whips past me, scattering my plans and good intentions all over the floor. I am constantly asking her to please slow down.
But I can’t slow her down any more than my mother could ever slow me down.
We are passion personified. We are energy exploding. And we are determined to do it our own way. Right now.
I love my own energetic personality. And I love my little freckled seven year old pack of energy.
But we aren’t easy to teach, we aren’t easy to mold. We fight back and resist. We can’t sit still for the lesson. We are already planning our own methods in our minds. We have already left the building.
I won’t give up though. I will try to remember that she is a little passion person like I am and she needs to fly even faster than I do.
I will try to teach quickly and then move out of the way for her to try it her own way, with mistakes that turn into her own personal version of perfect.
One day I will sit back and watch and learn from her.
I know she will have much to teach me. She already does. Maybe I need to slow down too so I can hear her lessons for me.
Olivia, you are powerful, passionate, and perfect. I am honored to be your Mom.
Written and photography by Janice Croze, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom
Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom
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Angie says
I feel similarly about my almost seven year old boy. His mind is in constant motion, like mine. He thinks in a hundred directions at once, like me. Where I have trouble, is the boy/girl differences in how our brains work. Once we hit that wall, that’s where the resistance and fighting is strongest. Everyday is a new opportunity for growth and learning, for both of us – just like you and your little girl. Keep up the great work, mama!
Star Traci says
I love this so much! A beautiful tribute to your daughter. She sounds so much like mine who just turned 8. In some ways, I wish she would slow down to make her life easier but in truth, she lives her life much more fully than I do. It is I that needs to learn from her.
🙂
Traci
Janice says
Exactly Traci! I am trying to fit her into our idea of how children should act, but she is just living her life on full throttle. I adore her fun loving spirit. I worried so much as a child, (and as an adult too,) I never had as much carefree fun as she has.
And don’t you just wish you could hold off the tween and teen years a little longer? She is still so sweet and innocent!
Jennifer Donovan says
Great pics, and great poetic style. So true.
Janice says
Thanks Jennifer! I wrote the post on my iPhone while I waited her to fall asleep after a very hectic afternoon and evening. She was trying to sew a simple project she had thought of and did NOT want my help. Only problem is, she is only seven and still needs my help when it comes to rotary cutters and my sewing machine!