Frankie performed a solo in her School Christmas Carol Concert at church last night.
It was one of those ‘Mum’ moments when I realised my daughter is rapidly coming into her own and out from under my apron strings.
Every square inch of my baby blank canvas is almost full.
At 8 and a half years old, her personality is pretty much formed and her moral barometer is strong enough to withstand a variety of social pressures.
Her new teacher told me she was amazed by her confidence, social maturity and emotional intelligence. This was by far the greatest thing I could wish to hear from another child care professional.
I genuinely have no interest in academic levels, school league tables and Ofstead outcomes. I know instinctively when I meet someone if they are going to be a safe, caring, nurturing and inspiring person in my daughters life and it is in these people, we invest the most.
I’m no perfect parent by any means but she knows I love her implicitly and I would lay down my life for her.
I’m happy with that.
It’s all I ever knew too growing up.
I sometimes can’t be bothered to watch her favourite TV show with her so she watches Food Network with me instead.
I don’t always want to go over her phonemes 3 times a week I’d rather chat with her over a pint and a packet of crisps in our local.
We rarely bake together but we make the most incredible roast potatoes on a Sunday.
Her gravy is to die for.
There’s not a lot an 8 year old girl and a 44 year old woman have in common. Sometimes we really have to search for similarities.
Sometimes we have to accept our differences.
Watching her stand up in front of a packed congregation and sing her heart out, melted mine that little bit more.
She won’t always be 8.5 and so in that moment I mentally cherished the beautiful girl she is now and can only imagine the incredible woman she will one day become.
You don’t have to be a Christian to go to church and you don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.
All you need to know is that you’re a good person.
21/12/2018