Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Growing Up

When I shot these photos, it was an attempt to capture the Barbie caught in a rainbow colored funnel cloud. It seems we were experiencing some rather tumultuous weather in our house. Looking at the photos, it's not really obvious. :-/

What I did notice was the belly.




I noticed that Princess' baby belly is starting to go away. I haven't told her. She doesn't want to know. We've talked about building strong muscles and that strong tummy muscles are important for a strong and supported back. She knows all too well about my back problems.

When we talked about ways to make her tummy muscles strong she asked, with a worried look, if she would lose her belly if she had strong tummy muscles. She loves her belly.

And I wonder if she would feel the same if she were in school.

I've had people tell me about their second grader going on a diet because she was too fat. I've heard about girls desperate to look different, have blue eyes, blonde hair, a smaller this or bigger that. In schools you have to wear the right shoes or the right clothes or there is no hope to fit in. Does that happen in all schools? It makes me sad to think it does.

I love that Princess loves her baby belly. And I'm a little bit sad that it is going to go away.

7 comments:

  1. I love that she loves her belly! I have a friend who told me once that when she was a kid, her favorite thing about her mom was that mom had a big soft belly, so cuddly and warm, like a pillow.

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  2. Awww, I love that Rosalyn!

    Princess also told me that I have a huge tushie. I asked her if that was a good thing, a bad thing or just a thing. She said it's just a thing. I love that she doesn't see differences as good or bad...they just are.

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  3. Oh wow, this post hits close to home.

    Daughter is a "big" girl...as in was always taller than all the boys in her class, had a tummy and was considered fat by mainstream and had boobs (bigger than mine) much earlier than any of the other girls.

    And since her social skills and even awareness of such things were far below average, she was bullied pretty badly.

    It was a heart breaker for sure and yes, I really do think it happens it all schools.

    Be glad that Princess has such an innocuous and "it just is" attitude about body types.

    It's so important for girls, especially in this day of size zero - what the heck does that even mean? - and stick thin stereotypes to love themselves for who they AND what they look like.

    Thanks for sharing. :D

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  4. 2nd grade diet? OH MY! No, all schools are not like that. At least not the ones my kids went to. But that was Montessori. (which I look at as homeschooling for parents with no patience.)

    :o)

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  5. Sheri, hearing that breaks my heart. I don't understand how people can be so horrible. I do love Princess' attitude. I hope that without school influence she will maintain it. (((BIG HUGS))) to Daughter and you!!!

    Yes Sheila! A diet in second grade. Sad, huh? I would think that Montessori would be different than public school. I went to a Montessori nursery (that's what they called preschool back then) and kindergarten. It was awesome!! I'm glad that your kids didn't have to go through the awful public school crap.

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