I have a boy. He doesn't really talk yet, so he doesn't understand a great deal of what we say to him. But I know that just by growing up with him as he grows up, I'll have a good sense of how to talk to little boys when they are little to help them be great men when they are big.
One of my favorite writers, Joanna Goddard, often has a few points I want to repeat here. Not surprisingly she recently posted about how to talk to little girls. After reading the linked article, written by Lisa Bloom, it took only a moment to see how guilty I am of the same crime of ignorance: speaking to girls about their appearance first rather than about their thoughts, interests, or even toys.
I hope you can take a moment to read it, too. I'd like to incorporate this change in my every interaction with my friends' little girls, especially the Flowers down the street and a little Nina and Sophie. Looking back I'm pretty sure I always remark on their appearances first.
Hmmmm.
Happy Monday. I know, 3 posts in a month. If you're still with me, you're amazing. Thanks for sticking with us. Your dedication means a great deal.
icj,
~j
When my daughter was a baby and toddler, I used to say, "You're so cute, I love you so much." Then I thought she would think I only loved her because I thought she was cute so I started saying, "No matter what you look like, the most important thing is how well you treat other people. An ugly person who treats others well will be thought of as beautiful, a pretty person who is selfish and treats others poorly will be thought of as an ugly person." Then she thought I was telling her to compensate with a good personality because she was ugly. I finally had to strike a balance.
ReplyDelete