Dear Daughter, on 2014.

Dear Daughter,

And so we’re leaving this year behind. This is the year where you grasped knowledge by its feet and pulled. You learnt, and expanded and tingled at the promise of the things you were reading, learning and enquiring. You tugged at knowledge strings and they relented, bringing wave upon wave of things to learn your way.

You learnt to ask why, and have a reasonable expectation of the type of answer you would accept. There’s no more fooling you with a “because I said so” or “because I don’t know”. Now you’re pushing towards answers, that fulfill your need to learn, and your need to assimilate information. You’re leaning towards understanding things on your own terms.

You’ve learnt to break down concepts into segments that you can hold in your hand. That’s something that only came to me faaaaaar later in life, and I like to think you’ve realised that nothing is unmanageable, so long as you focus.

I’ve tried not to be a tiger mom but, sometimes, I see the merit in it. Gulp. If I had my way, darling, I’d have you still doing water play in the sand pit and examining bugs. But the world and your brain are far beyond my wants now. It’s all about you as you grow, and are excited by the opportunities it brings you.

Keep reading. You’re in a love affair with reading. Long may this love reign. Long may this mutually beneficial relationship feed you. It is mutually beneficial – the words were created to be read, and you are fulfilling their creation by reading. Through it, you’re fulfilling your own needs to enjoy and experience and love and cuddle up with a book. Keep cuddling up with those words – it will steel you more than you ever know, as you navigate life.

You’re no longer a small child. You are a soul that’s reaching out into the world, to tickle its feet and coax it into playing with you. Whilst my heart feels weak just contemplating it, I hope that I’ve given you a strong grounding, and that, as you play, you will stand up for yourself, and enjoy the experiences that life gives you. Grab those experiences, baby, and come tell me all about them. Despite what you will say at some point in your life towards me (probably), you will always have a place with me. Whatever happens, your mama has your back. And I have no fear in kicking anything that does not make you smile that smile. You know the one 😛

I’m so bouncingly proud of you. Your smile is the trampoline of my life.

Love,

Mama.