When my son was three, I was sure that he was the wild child, the leader of the pack. As it turns out, he was just a very active three-year-old who loved to entertain. Then along came my wild child daughter, and everything changed.
In her very first seconds “outside” in the world (C-section mama, here), she let everyone know her opinions.
From those early “what took you people so long?” hollers to her single-minded determination to get her way, I’m not sure the world will ever be ready for her.
She is fierce, unapologetic, and a force to be reckoned with.
This little girl takes utter delight in everything she does, whether prancing around naked with a diaper on her head while I’m on a work video call, to trying to ride on the dog.
I tell my clients that her antics and the extra laughs she brings are free of charge.
Before she was two (which, incidentally, she still is), my wild child taught herself how to climb on counters and open doors. She jumped off of things most 3-year-olds don’t have much business playing on and is utterly fearless.
My mother frequently says, “I don’t think your job is to parent this one as much as it is to keep her in one piece.”
She began taking off her diaper, and one early summer morning, escaped through our heavy patio slider door into the yard (all while I was putting on pants). One frantic 9-1-1 call later, having peeking in all the neighbors’ garages, my delightful wild child emerged from behind my across-the-street neighbor’s house wearing nothing but a big grin.
Whether she’s demanding snuggles, PAW Patrol, or popcorn, this girl is already an expert negotiator and she doesn’t even have many words yet.
All of us, including her big brother, are wrapped around her little finger, and she knows it!
She’s whip-smart and she uses it to her advantage. At the same time, this wild child also has the biggest, cuddliest heart.
She will be the fun ringleader in high school, the child who takes on a cause, the athlete who rises to the challenge, and a strong woman who won’t take no for an answer.
I hope she uses her power for good, and that these early leadership skills serve her well in life.
All I know is that I’m doing my best to foster her giant personality while surviving with my mental well-being intact.
My daughter will rule the world one day and I can’t wait to see it. But first, she has to turn 3.
