Proud Parents
“Pull Quotes” of a 4 Year Old: Weeks 39-40
We were taught as children to “make our parents proud.” With good grades, good behavior, being polite and kind and all kinds of other ways. It was a tricky thing, learning to navigate the world for ourselves, but with the branches of our family tree looming behind us. What we did not only showed the world who we were, but also reflected back upon our family.
I still see signs of this today as kids are “acting out” or wailing in the aisles of the Target. A parent will talk to their little ones through gritted teeth or under their breath with scolding “don’t make me” wide eyes. I may even be guilty of this on an off-day.
For the most part though, at least I hope, parents give kids a little more room to “be kids.” The days of “don’t speak unless spoken to” are behind us. And rather than push down our feelings until they are pent up, we can talk about them or even cry them out.
→ ICMYI: catch up on “Pull Quotes” with the full list below.
While we’re on topic: Here’s a little song/poem about that ocean of emotions:
Onto the “Pull Quotes” from weeks past:
Monday, Sept 24
Daughter: Daddy, I’ll show you what it looked like. Meatball poo. Daddy: (laughing) Guess what I’m making for dinner?…
Tuesday, Sept 25
Daddy: Here you go, my love. Daughter: Thank you. Thank you MY love.
Wednesday, Sept 26
(explaining a drawing) “That’s a snail who has a big snail (shell). And that’s him wearing a bowtie.”
Thursday, Sept 27
Daughter: (walking around) I’m the boss. Mommy: Oh is that what a boss does? Daughter: Yeah, they walk around to make sure you do the work.
Friday, Sept 28
Mommy: Why did the cow turn on the radio? Daughter: Why? Mommy: Because it wanted to hear moo-sic. Daughter: Why did the cow want to turn on the TV? Mommy: Why? Daughter: Cause he wanted to watch TV!
Saturday, Sept 29
(singing) “My little sunshine, my little sunshine you make me happy when sky’s are gray…”
Sunday, Sept 30
“Mama, I kiss you because that’s how I show you I love you.”
Monday, Oct 1
“He said my heart is dancing.”
Tuesday, Oct 2
“I always wanted to be a lava monster.”
Wednesday, Oct 3
Daddy: Don’t touch anything, we just washed your hands. Daughter: Can I play with your phone? Daddy: How are you gonna play with the phone if you can’t use your hands? Daughter: With my elbows?
Thursday, Oct 4
“Spreezy fray” (freezy spray)
Friday, Oct 5
Daddy: Can we snuggle? Daughter: Okay, just don’t breathe on me.
Saturday, Oct 6
“You will be Hufflepuff!”
Sunday, Oct 7
“There’s a chicken on top of the roof. He’s my baby!”
My wife and I marvel some times at how we ended up with such a good egg. Yes, she’s still a kid and has her moments of whining and resisting and checking those boundaries. But when it comes down to it, she is smart, independent, loving, imaginative, silly, helpful, funny, and so many more “good kid” adjectives.
We are proud every day to be her parents and she doesn’t have to do a thing to “make us” that way. We are enjoying watching her learn and grow and are happily along for the ride. We know she will fall. We know she will fail. But we are also pretty confident whatever she does in life, world-changing or not, she is going to be great.
And we will be there to love her, cheer her on and let her be proud of herself. Proud as we can be.
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really wanna show it… 👏🏽
Editor’s post-script: Read the next in this series below:A Hope for the FutureYou may also enjoy these:
Full “Pull Quotes” of a 4 Year Old list:
😀 A Personality (Weeks 1–2) 😱 A Flair for the Dramatic (3–4) 👹 An Active Imagination (5–6) 🙋🏻 A Growing Independence (7–8) 🏡 A Happy Homelife (9–10) 💝 A Sweet Heart (11–12) 👀 Her Mother’s Eyes (13–14) 🚀 A Sense of Adventure (15–16) 💃 A Kick in Her Step (17–18) 🎤 A Song on Her Lips (19–20) 🌟 A Star in the Making (21–22) 🌀 A Swirl in Her Hair (23–24) 👂🏼 An Ear for Language (25–26) 😏 Her Father’s Smirk (27–28) 💪 A Strong Will (29–30) 💭 A Good Memory (31–32) 💁🏽 Hair Down to There (33–34) 😂 A Great Laugh (35–36) 🌙 A Nighttime Routine (37–38)