I watch my 8 year old SweetGirl don her suit, and throw on her cap and goggles. I can see the butterflies beginning to stir within. It’s a brand new session of synchronized swimming and she is here at the local pool, braving it. Sans BFF.
This group of young girls is a wonderfully eclectic mix.
These burgeoning young women are all jittery. A combination of nerves and excitement. Anxious to make new friends and master this new sport. What I find remarkable is that not one of this group of 9 is sucking in their stomachs, covering their bodies with towels, looking at their reflections in the mirrors with shaking heads or disapproving eyes.
They are confident in their little Speedo suits.
They are beautiful.
I am proud.
So what is that magic age?
At what point do confident little girls become creatures obsessed with how they look. At what point do self assured little girls turn into body obsessed creatures of worry?
How do I bottle this current confidence and swagger, this lightness of heart, and keep that potion for when she needs it during those terrifying teen years…….and beyond!
For now I am thankful for her confidence, for her smile, but wow, a potion like that, available when needed? What a gift that would be.
I think its the age when other girls start this sillyness and add it to their friends.
Great post. I would be nice to always have that confidence.
my dd is almost 12 and she is already talking about her “fat” body. My dd is not fat at all she is beautiful and it sickens me that she thinks. I think it began at 10 for her actually… not by me. I would never say the word fat to my kids. But her friends are all very into their images already. Her one friend who is naturally a stick has called her fat and wants to put her on a diet. I hate girls like this! It only takes one to ruin a whole class.
Unfortuantely, I think it is a cycle that starts from the parents. One or 2 will tell their daughters to watch what they eat or they will gain weight. Then those girls start judging other girls and they start to become more aware of their appearance.
Those are the best days! Hopefully we are doing a great job and the days will last much longer than our own.
If only our girls could keep that happy, self-confident attitude forever. Emotional health for young women (and not-so-young women!) is so important, especially in this day and age.
Did I just write “in this day and age”? I’m getting so freaking old…sigh…
I’d sure like to not care anymore!
What I wouldn’t do….
I think the un-magic age is around 15. You still have some time to enjoy her blissdom.
That would be a miracle potion!
I think we could all use a dose of that potion now and then 😉
Kudo’s to you mom for raising a confindent, emotionally health young lady!
Well done.
Ah, I remember those days of not caring what others thought. If you bottle it….let me know!
i think when we are able to see it in our children it reawakens inside us to some point…so cool.
I know. The trigger can come from the most innocuous places, but I think the key is to program them at a young age to know better…best to be the model for them of confidence and being thankful for having a complete and working body that can do amazing things, things worth much more than posing for a swimsuit magazine, ya know? Think of Heidi Montag…what happened there?
I have a girl too, I’m hoping she isn’t sucked in by it all as well and that I show her a confidence in myself and in her!
Aw I LOVE this post….
Somedays I need that potion and I’m in my 40s. Mostly I’m over all that, but every now and again it strikes. So, if you ever bottle it, let me know.