Even When They Don't Show it, They Are Listening

I talk to my daughter a lot.

I tell her everything. Nice things. Sad things. Happy things. Scary things. I'm as honest and detailed as I can be with a five year old. I like to think it's for the best for her and she in turn feels comfortable always talking to me and being honest with me.

Sometimes I worry that things are too deep for her grasp or understand at her young, innocent age. And then there are times when she completely blows my mind and my heart swells with love.

Today that happened.

I was volunteering in Lyla's class this morning. I love going in and spending an hour in her classroom helping the kids with their reading, writing, and spelling. The teacher is very appreciative of the extra hands and Lyla loves me in there hanging out.

Today they were continuing to celebrate and learn all about civil rights and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Her teacher was explaining all about being kind and helping out in your community and what dreams you have for your community.

As we walked around helping the kids fill out a paper cloud with their community dreams such as don't litter, be kind, etc, she was telling me about how the day before she had given the kids a lesson on community and Dr. King. She asked them to raise their hands and give her an idea for something nice you can do within your community.

The teacher then told me how Lyla raised her hand.

This is what Lyla said: You can grow your hair long and cut it off to donate to a little girl who is really sick and has no hair.

The teacher then told me she was near in tears hearing this from Lyla which then made me tear up as well.

I remember telling Lyla about how I did that after she was born, donated my hair. I also told her when she didn't want long hair anymore, she could do the same. She really listened and in turn realized that helping your community, like the lesson they were learning, is truly about being kind and selfless.

This proves to me that regardless of the yelling and the not listening bouts we have day to day, she really is listening to me and taking it all in. She may not listen when it's time to get dressed or clean up but she is listening to the life lessons I'm teaching her as well as the values I'm showing her in our every day life. I like to think that she will grow up to be a strong, beautiful, and caring person. I like to think that she's taking after her amazing grandmother and myself as we are one in the same.

I'm so proud of her and the way her brain works. I'm glad that her teacher sees it too. I'm glad she's my girl.