Happy Friday, y’all!! Anyone else pumped for a weekend with their kids? It sounds crazy probably, but I really am. This first week of school has been amazing for my girls, but I miss them like crazy. We’re headed to the pool tonight to swim and kick off the weekend. In fact, the pool is where I made up a little mantra for my girls to memorize regarding their behavior.
This year was the first year we’ve been a member of a pool and I quickly learned the dynamic of pool toys and toddlers. Pool toys are constantly being snatched, shared, and confiscated by other kids. We were also meeting new friends daily. So between meeting new friends, sharing our toys, and getting used to a new environment, it was a lot of crazy.
I started to notice my girls – like any toddler – get upset when a toy was taken or grab a toy from another child. I witnessed clicks of kids (y’all, why does that start so early), and it killed me. Innocent for sure at such a young age, but not something I wanted my girls to instigate or be a part of.
So, I came up with a Cobbs girls mantra. I wanted to keep it simple, direct, and easy to remember. I picked 3 things that are true and will be true for the rest of their lives. I also picked 3 things that were directly related to their age and current circumstances. I want them to be kind. Always. There’s too much ugly in the world and too much hurt and I want to raise them to be kind to everyone. Just yesterday Emma Grace told me some second grade girls asked her a question in an ugly voice. While it hurts to hear that, it was a great chance to talk about “killing them with kindness” and taking the high road.
I also want my girls to share. This is a hard lesson and is honestly hard no matter your age. And lastly, I want my girls to be friends with everyone. I am trying everything in my power to raise them to be color blind, gender blind, disability blind, age blind. I want them to befriend each and every person. We have started telling our girls to look for kids on the playground that are alone and to seek them out. This skill too, is hard at any and every age.
The only one that will probably change over time is the “sharing” one. We eventually want to shift it to “Cobbs girls love Jesus,” but for now, sharing it is! So, below is how our little exchange goes. It’s fun and the girls enjoy it. I ask it every single time we go to a public event so that it’s fresh on their minds. You’d be surprised how many times they run up to me saying “mom, I just shared with so-and-so.” Or how many times I pick them up from school and they say “mom, I was friends with everyone today.” I encourage you to try it out!
The Cobbs Girls Mantra
MOM: Hey girls, what do I want people to say about my Cobbs girls?
EMMA GRACE & ABBY: Cobbs girls are kind, we share, and we are friends with everyone.
PS – thank you to all of you who guessed what our mantra was on instagram! The majority of you guessed “we are kind.” I love it! We’re such a little tribe and it makes me happy! Y’all are the greatest!
dress: madewell | shoes: target | necklace: akola project c/o | bag: nordstrom ($44) | sunnies: karen walker | watch: kate spade c/o
photography: fort lion studio
