As she was getting ready for the book launch yesterday my daughter, Dominique, said: “I am feeling so important today!”
“You should feel important every day,” I responded.
The book was inspired by my daughters words, providing testament that children do have a voice and that it can influence. Every child is and should feel important and every child deserves to be heard.
What messages have your children expressed lately?
Category Archives: message
From a Perceived Weakness Rises a Superpower!
My now eight-year-old daughter is often told that she is too sensitive. But yesterday, she said she discovered it was her superpower.
“When others are sad, I feel sad,” she explained. “And when they are happy, I feel really happy.”
Owning it
She sees it as a strength.
She would be right. Empathy is often sorely lacking these days. My super girl. SO proud!
Never Give Up on a Dream
This book has been a long time coming. I vowed a long time ago to share my daughter’s profound words with a wide audience and decided that as a former journalist, my best option was the written word.
But as a journalist, I have to confess that creative writing did not come naturally to me, especially given the young audience. I tried several iterations but could never get the attention, let alone the approval, of a publisher. Had it simply been my message, I am confident I would have given up. But this wasn’t my message, it was my daughters and I owed it to her to see it through. I therefore owe a huge debt of gratitude to Stephen Davis of Phrenetic Press and Chris Whitman, Authorly CEO, for believing in this heartfelt project and turning it into a reality. Obviously, I am also incredibly grateful to the illustrator, Jennifer Nicol, for her instrumental role. I can’t believe we are only a few weeks away from the launch.
“Never give up on a dream,” I told her. “Especially when your children are involved.”
A friend, who had first heard me enthuse about a potential book, recently found out it was about to be launched. “You never gave up!” she noted, perhaps with a little surprise. “Never give up on a dream,” I told her. “Especially when your children are involved.”
Dreams do sometimes come true. I hope that will someday inspire my children, as they regularly inspire me.
Just Because I’m Short, It Doesn’t Mean I’m Small
Friends at school were trying to exclude my five-year-old from a game because they deemed her too small. She happened to be shorter than the other two girls involved. Feeling hurt and wanting to be included, she quickly noted: “Just because I’m short, it doesn’t mean I’m small.”
She added that she was as capable as the others. It was a big message.
Well done Isabella!
My Heart Never Lies 