Empowering Girls: Mommy/Daughter Day

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Do you know what “Give us this day our daily bread” means?, Daddy asked Ainsley as they were saying night-time prayers.

That God gives us what we need, like food and stuff?

Right. What do you need Ainsley?

More attention from Mommy.

That’s what I love about kids, they will usually tell us exactly what they need.

I work from home, so my first instinct is to say, I’m here the whole flipping day! What more do you want? I admit, I often respond to my kids’ never-ending quest for more of me like this.

Of course they are talking about Mommy’s mental presence and attention with them and on them and not my physical presence.

I know this because I will sometimes say similar things to my husband when I feel neglected. I’m here every night, I never go anywhere or do anything. What do you want from me? I’m sure he thinks.

It’s the modern-day dilemma. We’re distracted by the computer and the TV and other really important things like jobs, and even though we pretend our physical presence should be enough we know that it’s not.

There are consequences to not listening when someone asks you for presence and attention. Children act out and rebel and marriages fall apart.

I’m declaring this Saturday is Mommy/Daughter Day. Ainsley says she wants to go out for Chinese, take her Taekwondo orange belt test, share ice cream at the Soda Fountain, get a manicure and go to a movie.

I don’t know about all of that (cha ching, cha ching).

What she will get though is my best effort at living in the present moment with my mind and attention on her. I know, that’s really what she’s asking for.

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