For four years now, I’ve been pondering a curious question: How will my daughter, Lily, ever repay me for the grueling forty-two hours of labor I endured? As sometimes happens with kids, the answer struck me unexpectedly while I was in the grocery store checkout line.
Spying a magazine cover featuring a glamorous actress, Lily exclaimed, “Mom, she looks just like you!”
You know those cinematic moments when everything slows down and echoes? It was like that. Lily’s bright blue eyes sparkled as she smiled at me, and I felt like I was floating on air. “Oh, really? She is very beautiful,” I replied modestly. With a dazzling grin, Lily beamed back at me, and for a brief moment, I felt on top of the world. Sure, she may have a quirky way of seeing things, but in that moment, we were totally even.
Let’s be real—I don’t resemble that actress one bit. Other than our short hair and brown eyes, we have nothing in common. But kids tend to generalize, and sometimes that works in your favor. Other times? Not so much.
Just the other night, I wasn’t exactly looking my best when Lily, perhaps still harboring some resentment over me not letting her bring her toy backpack to dinner, said, “You look really handsome tonight, Mom.”
My partner, Sarah, quickly chimed in with a playful, “You mean ‘Mom is so pretty!’”
“Nope, she’s handsome,” Lily declared, a cheeky grin plastered across her face.
This isn’t the first time she’s been brutally honest. “Mom, your tummy is not as flat as mine,” and “Wow, Mom, you have a little mustache!” come to mind. I thought I’d faced all the verbal jabs I could handle years ago when someone in the library once remarked on my “chickeny” legs. But here we are again. Just when I finally reached a point of acceptance about my body, along comes Lily with her razor-sharp honesty.
Of course, at her age, Lily is blissfully ignorant of any physical flaws. With her bright red hair and smooth porcelain skin, she’s the kind of child that makes seniors in grocery stores stop and coo, “What an angel!”
Meanwhile, I’m just trying to drag this angel and my “not-so-perky bits” down the yogurt aisle for some overpriced yogurt. Yet, despite all the unexpected surprises that come with age (hello, callouses on my ankles!), I actually feel more confident about my body than ever before. Maybe it’s because I’m no longer trying to impress anyone. After all, Sarah is stuck with me for life—she’s got all these kids and this massive house to consider. I’m not on the lookout for new romances, and my self-worth isn’t tied to my appearance anymore.
If only I could quiet my little truth-teller. Just last summer, she asked me if I “remember fossils.”
Kids possess a remarkable ability to see the world with raw clarity. They perceive things without the haze of bias and overthinking. We all have those moments when they ask sincere questions, like why anyone would harm a creature just because it’s not perfect. Such insightful innocence!
I’ve reveled in the knowledge that my kids are learning simple acceptance from me. I thought I caught a glimpse of that understanding in Lily’s face just this morning. Her heart was filled with love, devoid of judgement, I mused. She has a genuine desire to uplift me and ensure I know I’m always enough.
Then she deadpanned, “Mom, your breath smells like cat poop.”
Well, that’s it. I’m drafting her a Labor and Delivery invoice right now.
If you’re interested in exploring more about home insemination, check out this excellent resource on IUI or visit Make a Mom’s guide to the Cryobaby at-home insemination kit and Impregnator at-home insemination kit for more insights.
Summary:
In this humorous reflection on parenting, Rachel shares her experiences with her brutally honest daughter, Lily. From unexpected compliments to candid observations about physical imperfections, children have a unique way of revealing truths that often lead us to rethink our self-image. Amidst the chaos of parenthood, Rachel finds solace in her growing acceptance of her body, even as she navigates the unfiltered honesty that kids bring into our lives.
Keyphrase: The Unfiltered Truth of Kids
Tags: [“home insemination kit” “home insemination syringe” “self insemination”]