For parents, one of the most amazing things is watching your kids grow up and become their own persons. Oftentimes, we look past the fact that they are “real people”, with their own distinct personalities. We get so used to them being “our kids”, as if they were one homogenous entity, that we forget that how we relate to one may not necessarily be the way to relate to another.
My girls are growing up fast, and are at that age when they are coming into their own. They are no longer the babies that we knew back when. And as they grow, the differences in their personalities are becoming more and more apparent. Sure, sometimes it’s a challenge because we have to change our parenting styles depending on which one we are talking to at any particular moment, but at the same time, it is so exciting seeing them become who they are.
Last night was a perfect example of their different personalities. After getting ready for bed, they both walked into our room in costumes. When they did, my wife and I laughed because each costume (picked out by each) represented perfectly each one’s personality.
My eldest is, I guess you could say, the “stereotypical” girl. She loves princesses, dancing ballet, and is so compassionate that she often gets upset just because someone else is upset. She loves art. She isn’t the most athletic child around and is very cautious when it comes to physical activities. She is also extremely affectionate, always ready to give anyone she knows a hug and a kiss.
My youngest is the prankster. She loves to tease, make faces, and tell jokes (that are so cute even if they don’t always make sense). Even if she is the younger one, already we get the sense that she is the more independent one, more willing to try things out on her own. She is also very affectionate, but shows it through her good-natured teasing rather than through hugs and kisses (though once you break through the teasing, she will hug and kiss with the best of them).
My two girls are still so young and have so much growing up to do, and I can’t help but be excited to watch these two amazing individuals grow from the loving children they are now into the awesome ladies I know they will become.