Inner Critic

Friends,

I went to Charlotte's kindergarten

Parent Orientation the other night.

 

I immediately looked at the children's artwork

around the room,

with a laser beam focus,

looking for anything

that was labeled

Charlotte.

 

I found it, in a quick glance. 

I was proud.

Seeing her hard work displayed...

seeing her choice in a butterfly,

my favorite.

 

Then a moment later,

 I am embarrassed to admit,

I immediately started comparing

her work to others.

I saw school work from Luke's and Grace's.

And the handwriting was perfect.

 

Charlotte's was perfect only to me.

Perfectly scribbly.

Earned effort displayed for all to see.

 

My heart sunk.

 

Charlotte works so hard.

She loves learning.

She quizzes herself.

She is always on a quest for more knowledge.

She is so super studious,

even when I am too tired to correct,

her self created homework.

How do her peers have perfect writing,

in kindergarten?

I thought Charlotte's scribbles were impressive.

I was wrong.

 

And then delightfully wrong again,

as I looked closer around the room,

and noticed...

Charlotte's work was the only work,

with kid writing.

 

The teachers had labeled the rest for the kids.

 

My inner critic laughed a big inside gut laugh.

 

I should have trusted my instinct of pride, regardless.

 

Charlotte has lived before.

 

She is the oldest 5 year old I have ever met.

 

We lay in bed together at night,

here is her hobby of choice.

She checks the answers in the back,

and assures me she got them all right.
 

I wouldn't know. 

Its not my thing.

 

I do know, I am going to shut

that inner critic of mine up.
 

She is usually wrong.
 

When it comes to my kids.
 

And me.

 

Happy Being Wrong, Friends!

XO!