Its been a long time since I wrote here. But a conversation I had with my 6 year old made me want to write.
Lately- the news if full of transgender bathroom talk- and the whole transgender theme. And reading those articles I wondered how I'd feel if that talk ever came up with my child.
Today at breakfast my darling 6 year girl said out of no where, "I don't want to be a girl. I want to be a boy," and she started crying.
I was shocked to say the least- because never before has she mentioned wanting to be a boy. I wondered what had brought on this idea. Had some snide comment from a brother, or some fear of something she'd overheard?
I reminded myself that on occasion my oldest son has said he wished he was a girl. But the root of that is that he doesn't like the rowdiness of the boys in his class and he REALLY likes one girl in his class. He thought if he was girl she'd talk to him more . . . But I told him all the extras of being a boy- and he got over that.
Today when my girl was crying I hugged her and asked her why she had said that. She couldn't answer me- and in time I realized that perhaps this was just a sudden feeling she had. On occasion I remember feeling that way a girl- when my brothers got to do things I didn't as a kid.
I told my girl all the great things about being a girl that boys don't get to do: having babies, wearing dresses, painting their nails, being princesses, brides, etc. Then we painted her nails, hugged and moved on.
But in my heart I kept praying and wondered. Could it be that the fight our culture and world is undergoing is so strong that our kids feel this influence, confusion and dislike of self even if they have never heard it discussed before.
We are in a battle for the hearts, bodies and identities of our kids.
Each child is a precious gift to us- made in the image of a perfect Creator!
I am so thankful for the gender of each of my kids and excited to meet the surprise growing within me.
Lets let our kids BE themselves and embrace the full masculinity and femininity of the persons they were made to be.
How do you encourage your kids to be all BOY and GIRL?
