Recently Juju and Joseph started speech therapy with a new therapist who comes to our home. It is wonderful not to have to load everyone up in the car and wait for the sessions to be over. The girls are able to continue with their school day uninterrupted, and the only worry I have is that my house is presentable. Under most circumstances I find that easier than making sure they are presentable and in the car with all the necessities (shoes, coats, sippy cups, etc). Plus, I get a clean house rather than fidgety kids in a car waiting for the session to finish.
On a recent visit, the speech therapist presented a picture of Disney princesses and asked my Juliana who her favorite princess was. Juju is mostly unfamiliar with this genre of princess having only seen Beauty and the Beast. Most mentions of princesses in our home have to do with being a daughter of Christ, or talk of some saints who were queens. At first she was just silent, but when asked again who her favorite princess was-- she responded, "ME!" I was in another room, but still chuckled. What an apropos answer for my sweet four year old.
She continued with her session, I continued the lesson I was working on in the kitchen with Sophia and thought little of the exchange, except that it would make a good blog post. Sophia, however, had also heard this conversation and she had seen the paper in question and it was clear she was mulling it over. I had not actually seen the princess paper. Sophia quietly whispered to me, "Mom, some of those princesses aren't wearing enough clothes and it sort of makes me not like them."
When Juju came running in the room a few minutes later so proud of earning stamps on this paper I have to admit I was a little stunned too. There, front and center, were scantily clad princesses on display. We so closely monitor what our girls watch that when those things make their way into our home they are quite shocking to all of us.
I have to admit it's hard sometimes to feel so counter-cultural, but Juliana's response and Sophia's observation remind me that the job I have of raising these girls to be Godly women is a monumental task and it is my job to ensure that our home is a refuge from the rest of the world. Here they are princesses, not in the worldly sense of being catered to and physically attractive, but rather in the Godly sense of serving those around them and striving to be the best Daughter of the King. I'm glad they realize at such a young age what true beauty is all about.
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