Self Portraits

I was putting up some artwork from John and Julia today and I realized that I admire the confidence I see in my three youngest children. They are so proud of whatever they do. The pictures they made for me are perfect examples of this. They handed them to me so impressed with the fact that they created self-portraits that looked exactly like themselves (in their view). I really wish they could hold onto that confidence and assurance forever. Inevitably however, somewhere along the way...around the age of eight or nine...I'm sure one by one they will get their first reality check that - not everyone likes them and what they do.

It's interesting that while we're infants, toddlers, and very young children, everyone is kind to us, everyone approves of us...even mistakes are over looked and our self-worth is still high. But around the age of eight some kids realize that by putting other kids down they feel worth even more. I used to see this when I taught third grade. Third grade is actually a hard year for many students. Their bodies are physically awkward and changing....they're realizing the power of words and expressions and actions. They mimic what they see in their families by testing their novice display of attitude on their peers. It's usually around the third grade level that children come home with the saying..."Nobody likes me!". Remember the song?.... "Nobody likes me everybody hates me I guess I'll go eat worms". It's like that.

I have learned from Kristin and Katelyn that even though as parents we acknowledge and hold high their accomplishments...they will still undoubtedly be knocked down by someone at one time or another. However, I have recently discovered that our work as parents is not in vain. It's so important to keep holding them high because even when we think our praise and adoration for their work isn't worth much...believe me...it is. Kristin still likes to bring home positive notes and Katelyn still likes her best work displayed on the refrigerator.

It's my opinion that home should be an embassy of safety and acceptance for kids. No matter how crooked their lines are drawn, how backwards their 3's and 5's may be, or even how ragged their tired school age bodies appear in the doorway after a long day's work...they should feel accepted and valued. So as long as they bring them to me...I'll tack up the self-portraits of stick figure images, and tape up the over glued Popsicle stick crosses because it tells them I care and think they're pretty neat.