Today is Picture Day

Here's the thing, friends. When I say I don't care what other people think, I actually mean those words. I even kind of love going against the expected.

So, as I marched our three-year-old daughter into preschool on picture day this morning in her Princess Jasmine costume – that she picked out herself, thank you very much – I had a proud mom moment.

See, as a family raising an #extremechild, it is crucial that we let our kiddos be the best version of themselves – no matter what that looks like to the outside world.

We grieved and buried what we thought we'd look like as parents a long time ago because that imaginary idea was pure fiction. No one who has never parented can predict what they will be like with real, live human children. THEY ARE FERREL, y'all!

What I found to be so funny (and sad) this morning were the looks on the faces of the onlooking moms as Sparrow and I strutted our stuff into school. I promise you jaws actually, physically dropped open. I felt ten feet tall and like there was probably some bada** soundtrack playing in the background behind us.

Because, listen friend, it is SO EMPOWERING doing what feels right in your heart, regardless (and in the absolute face of) what feels expected of you from others. No matter what belief system you prescribe to, we only have to answer to one in our house...and it ain't Karen in the pick-up line!

So, today I hugged my sweet, feisty little girl knowing that we were choosing to make an awesome memory together this morning that looked so much different than the one I had of my mom wrestling me in to ruffly dresses against my will and telling me, "Go ahead and pull away from me! It will just make the curls tighter!" as she fought to curl my hair for picture day.

My mom and I laugh about that now and she is a freaking rockstar who simply thought she was getting a precious daughter and then I showed up and was like, "Oh heck no, lady! I'm here to play football and mess stuff up!"

So let's allow our kids to make some choices – within reason.

Let's empower and encourage them to be the very best versions of themselves while being sincerely proud of whatever that ends up looking like. Because, friend, THAT is what will give them the strength to soar when it's time for them.

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