The end of October always brings a certain feeling with it — fall creeping in through cooler weather, pockets of color arriving in the trees, and that quiet shift toward cozy days. My daughter has been buzzing with excitement over Halloween. Truly, all she could talk about was candy. Her joy made the season feel even more alive.
The other day, I carved out a little time for myself. I went shopping alone for a bit — something I don’t do nearly enough — and while I was out, I picked up a sketch pad for her. She’s been loving drawing lately. The show Hey Duggee has sparked her creativity, and she’s been trying to draw the characters, along with The Penguin from one of the library books she’s been reading. Watching her lean into this new interest has been so much fun.
She loves emulating me, and I’m learning to embrace that in between the hustle and bustle of daily responsibilities. There’s something tender in seeing your child mirror your passions — a reminder that they are always watching, absorbing, trying life on through our example.
Her emotions have been big lately. Really big. And it hasn’t always been easy to remain calm in those moments when her feelings spill over. As she deals with her emotions and I stand next to her — sometimes steady, sometimes struggling — I try to remember: she is little, she is learning, and as she is learning… so am I.
Growing up in the era that I did, we weren’t taught how to deal with emotions. We were told to listen, behave, be quiet. Unseen and unheard was the norm. I find myself reflecting on those childhood moments — going to my room upset, alone with feelings I didn’t understand and no one helping me process them.
Now, here I am, raising a daughter with a different intention. I’m learning how to stay present with emotions, hers and mine. It’s not natural yet. It stretches me. It brings up old echoes of my childhood at the same time as it offers healing.
We’re figuring it out together — both of us growing through our own little seasons of change.
