OMG personality
Oh my god, this might actually just be the best part yet! Can you imagine my little girl has a whole personality?
It's so beautifully loud. It makes me so excited. I swear I beam with pride daily. I love seeing how bold she is and how strong and assertive she is. How confident she is in her own mind ... it's like this is the part I've been waiting for. Sure, the baby stage is cute; they look up at you, lovingly gazing into your eyes. They are so precious, with squeezable cheeks and adorable rolls. I love it all, but life can get pretty dull after being in lockdown with a baby (Shhhh! am I allowed to admit that?). As she's now a bit older and she can talk at a million words a minute, it's become something else. She keeps me on my toes and can really express herself. Our morning convos in the car really start my day with love and laughter. It's incredible, and I'm actually quite proud of myself. I'm doing alright with this mum thing.
I guess it's a huge deal because I grew up in a culture that doesn't see children as whole human beings. I'm sorry to say this, but often times children are seen as property, and the mantra children are to be seen and not heard is often said and very much lived and felt.
When we got pregnant, we made a conscious effort to make sure that we didn't do anything to stifle our child's personality. We didn't want to do anything to dim their light or limit their growth. As a result, we have been pouring into her confidence and ensuring that she can talk whenever she wants. She can freely say however she feels about anything. Using a wide range of emotive words and an emotion board has helped her express herself. The result is fabulously heartwarming. I'm so glad to see her grow and shine.
Her confidence even inspires me. I love it! I wish I had that growing up, and I really, really, really wish more black girls had confidence growing up. Each and every one of us has a role to play in this. If we all work together, we can create a world of confident black girls. No limits.
One thing I'm proud of is that we are a part of a great generation pushing towards change, building on the work of our nurturers before us. We're raising young black girls who are confident. Who are independent. Assertive girls. Who is unafraid of being seen as bossy or bold, rude or too much. As for my baby, she can never be too much! She's just enough, exactly as she is.
