Parenting: Hands Off Hands On

The past two days we have been snowed in (well, snowed in for Tennessee) and I have been amazed: by my daughter.

At six years old, Shiloh still prefers NPT (channel 8 around here) programming to the Disney Channel. She would rather watch "The Cat in the Hat" than "Jessi". She would rather watch "Word Girl" or "Super Why" than "Austin and Alley" or "I Didn't Do It". If you had asked me a week ago, I would have said those programs were beneath her. That she was too old for such programming.

Hmmmm, maybe not. Maybe, I'm the one pushing her to grow up.

What is more, she actually prefers to NOT watch TV. What? She would much rather be working a puzzle, drawing, baking or playing make believe. Electronics really are a last resort for her.

Hmmmmmm.

These past two days are really making me re-evaluate my parenting with her. Obviously she is not a mini-ME. She does not have the same passion for movies and video games that her brother does.

She is her, and she is wonderful.

With that being said, I'm going to let her teach me. I am going to be hands off in picking activities so her natural interests develop in their own time and in their own way.

I will be more hands on, in doing these activities with her.

I want to encourage her to grow and try new things, but never push her. Never squash her spirit. She is amazing. She is smart, funny, creative and caring. She is also still so innocent.

And I am going to let her be.

Please join me in this parenting journey. I am turning off the TV and letting my daughter pick our activities, movies, etc during play time. I will encourage her. I will let her grow. I will watch her blossom. Please, slow down with me and let our children be our children.

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