The only thing Brendan asked for as a birthday gift this year is a Belle dress.\u00c2\u00a0 It is the first present he wants to open the morning of his birthday even before breakfast.<\/p>\n
Last year is was the red glittery hat with the braid- Jessie from Toy Story.\u00c2\u00a0 He lit up when he opened that gift.\u00c2\u00a0 The Christmas just prior he asked for a dress.\u00c2\u00a0 He wasn’t specific, just a dress.\u00c2\u00a0 He got a dress.\u00c2\u00a0 It was a Julius Cesear costume and still a favorite.\u00c2\u00a0 But somehow this birthday, the actual going into the Disney Store (a place I have been *maybe* a total of five times in my parenting lifetime and almost always for other children’s gifts)- this was different.<\/p>\n
I knew it was coming.\u00c2\u00a0 Since before drama started he has been talking about a Belle dress.\u00c2\u00a0 Being in the play only enforced it and seeing the lead girl who played Belle looking so beautiful only made him want it more.<\/p>\n
For a minute I looked at the dresses, all full of glitter, and had to think, “are boy sizes the same as girls?”\u00c2\u00a0 (I went with yes)<\/p>\n
Then I got in line with other mothers and daughters purchasing their Princess things.\u00c2\u00a0 “For your daughter?” the salesperson asked.\u00c2\u00a0 “Nope, my five year old son.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s the only thing he wants for his birthday.”\u00c2\u00a0 I’m sure that’s not what she expected.<\/p>\n
I walked by Legos in another store.\u00c2\u00a0 Stores sell “girl” Legos now.\u00c2\u00a0 They are pink and purple and are suppose to make girls want to be engineers, I think.\u00c2\u00a0 Seriously.<\/p>\n
There is entirely too much focus on girl toys vs boy toys.\u00c2\u00a0 I go out of my way to be sure- as the only girl in a house full of boys- to make things as gender neutral as I can.\u00c2\u00a0 Maybe too far.\u00c2\u00a0 The boys think only men cook, do dishes, laundry and iron. But I digress.\u00c2\u00a0 Aidan talks about future presidents saying “he or she.”<\/p>\n
Toys are toys.\u00c2\u00a0 Kids like what they like.\u00c2\u00a0 You can wave a truck in front of a child all you want, if they like it, they like it, if not it won’t matter how many you buy.\u00c2\u00a0 And kids are who they are.\u00c2\u00a0 You can’t make them be an athlete if they don’t want to be no matter how many sports you sign them up for.<\/p>\n
Brendan is who Brendan is.\u00c2\u00a0 There is no label for Brendan.\u00c2\u00a0 He just is.<\/p>\n
One of the greatest things you can ever experience is seeing pure joy on the face of your child.\u00c2\u00a0 Brendan is in his element when he is on stage and acting (or singing or dancing)- performing for an audience.\u00c2\u00a0 He has a charismatic presence that lights up a room and quickly finds ways to play any crowd.<\/p>\n
I don’t want to change a thing about him.\u00c2\u00a0 He is who he is, there are no labels, only descriptions.\u00c2\u00a0 And he is a great kid.<\/p>\n
How could anyone not want to give him the only gift he wants?<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Discovering your element is allowing yourself access to all of the ways in which you experience yourself in the world and discovering where your own true strengths lie.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d ~Sir Ken Robinson, The Element<\/em><\/p>\n And as a side note, a psychologist friend of mine pointed out of all the princesses, Belle is the only one who does not give up her identity for a man or need to be saved by a man.\u00c2\u00a0 She in fact saves the Beast and “wants more than this provincial life.”\u00c2\u00a0 So at least he chose a strong female character!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The only thing Brendan asked for as a birthday gift this year is a Belle dress.\u00c2\u00a0 It is the first present he wants to open the morning of his birthday even before breakfast. Last year is was the red glittery … Continue reading