Ughhhh...

Maddie and I were talking as Riley napped and Chloe sat next to us cooing and gurgling. The sun was shining on us as we sat next to the window on the heater vent. Then came the words that hit me like a ton a of bricks..."Mommy, I want my tummy to be flat like Ariel's." I said, "you have a flat tummy." She said, "Na, uh, look." She lifted up her shirt to show me her cute little tummy. She then said, "I need to do weight loss." Again, my jaw dropped. Did my 4 year old just say that? What in the world?? Does it really start this young??? She went on to tell me that she saw a commercial about it. I felt my stomach do a total flip and I wanted to cry. I went and told Glen what our FOUR year old daughter had just told me. I didn't want to make a HUGE deal about it because I want her to feel like she can tell me stuff like this and not have me flip out. Glen told her that Ariel was not a real person, that she was just a cartoon, and told her she was beautiful just the way she is.

As I sat there folding laundry I wanted to come up with something that might make sense to her about how everyone is different. I came up with this as she colored quietly on the floor

"Maddie, you know when mommy draws something for you and then you try to draw it, it looks different? And daddy's pictures look different than mommy's and your friends make pictures and they look different? But they all have something that is very neat and unique about them?"

"Yes." she replied.

"They all look beautiful. They are all art. You wouldn't like it if I told you your picture didn't look pretty, would you?"

She said, "no."

Then I told her that "Heavenly Father created each of us. We are his art. He made us all different, but he thinks we are all beautiful and special. When we look at someone else or at ourselves and want to change something that makes him very sad. Does that make sense?"

"Yes." she said

I told her again that she was beautiful just the way she was. I don't know how much of that sank in, but maybe one day she'll remember what I said. I know I'll have to keep reiterating all this as she grows, and not just to her but to Riley and Chloe as well. Being a girl isn't always easy. I hope that I can instill good, positive self esteem in all of them. I know it starts with my example. I hope I can be a good example of a woman with good self confidence/self esteem. I know it also starts with the type of relationship they have their dad. A father needs to show love and kindness towards his daughters and wife, so that his girls don't go looking for male attention in all the wrong ways.

I'm inches away from destroying Ariel and every other DUMB princess that makes my little princess feel she has to look like them!

UGHHHHHHH!!!!! Just ONE more thing for me to have to worry about and work on! I need a vacation!