Years ago when I was a single mom I was doing the best I could with some chaotic circumstances that were out of my control. Everything felt upside down for me, the pieces of my life were scattered all about and I was in survival mode. In those years music was an escape for me, I always had a deep affection for music, to sing, and get lost in the lyrics. I had bought Shania Twain’s album UP! and played it often in the car for my daughter and I, she was turning 4 that year. We spent many a ride singing together in my car. I loved peeking in the rear view mirror to see her little red lips moving and to hear her sweet voice.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago. We were taking a family drive up north and my daughter, now 16, decided to be music DJ for us. She put on this Shania Twain album and we sang together and enjoyed the scenery. After singing the song “She’s Not Just a Pretty Face” by Shania Twain my daughter said “honestly that song made me think that it was cool to be a smart girl, and that you can really be something”! Behind my sunglasses there were tears of relief and joy. There were times I made some not so great choices and also times I made some really awesome choices that made a difference in our lives in a wonderful way. I was reminded that not only did we survive a very difficult time in our lives but we are thriving now. My teenage daughter knows she matters in this world and is very much on her way to building an amazing future for herself!
On the flip side of this, we can also think about how a small negative experience in a child’s life can leave an imprint, and impact a child. My point here is not to scare us mamas but to create awareness around this. We are human, we all have good, bad, and ugly days. However, being a mindful mom doesn’t have to be difficult or strained. It can be as simple as playing some music with a wonderful message that creates a positive little imprint, one that can do wonders for years to come. I invite you to play the song (or another uplifting one) for your school age kids and ask them what they got out of it – what did it mean to them, how did it make them feel? I would just LOVE to hear what they think!