Well....this will go down as the WORLDS BEST School Picture! EVER! EVER EVER!
Jake's school does a little something called "Wagon Days". The kids dress up like Pioneers and the WHOLE DAY is full of Pioneer games, meals and all the fun a 4th grader can handle.
This year, said day, happened to also be PICTURE DAY. The kids were advised to bring their costumes in a bag and they could put them on after pictures. This would not do for my Jake.
"Mom, can I PPLLEEAASSEE where my hat and vest in my picture? It would be so cool! Please Mom, PPLLEEAASSEE!"
Well, school pictures around here are about $30 for a CD and 8 wallets. I hate them anyway. My dear hubby told me, in a sense, to stop whining about it and fork over the cash. I did. NOW, I had to fork it over and have Pioneer Garb?!
With all of my energy I wanted to say no. I wanted to direct him to a nice Polo, or something that brought out his beautiful blue eyes and his adorable freckles. Instead I said, "It's up to you buddy! They are your pictures."
They came home. Jake hates them and I have never been happier with another picture in my life! Here's why....
Look at that face, don't scroll, I will post it again...it certainly deserves it!
I have never seen that smile on him before! Ryan and I laughed so hard! That is a look of "Oh my! This is going to be the best school picture EVER! I have the coolest outfit on and MY MOM LET ME!"
I love it because I learned a HUGE lesson that day!
What if I would have said No? Would it have even really mattered?!
Oh, how many times do I squash creativity and confidence because of some pre-conceived notion of how something "should be"?! What if I just let him decide. Did that $30 really matter....not until this picture became the outcome of it! Honestly, what a good lesson in Motherhood for me!
Dr. Wayne Dyer, writer of many MANY brilliant books, talks about how our kids are all born with Divinity within them. Well, yes, they are Children of God, just like we are. They come with a purpose and a mission to fulfill and all of the traits needed to complete them. Then parents get in the way. They forget. They start to think and dream with limitations. OUR limitations.
How wonderful would it be if we quietly steered them away from danger, taught them just who they are and what they are REALLY capable of (because they are part of Divinity, then all things are possible) and stood back in amazement at who they become or what they accomplish. Because they WOULD, in fact, accomplish MUCH!
Not to bad a lesson for just a mere $30 bucks and an AMAZING and hilarious picture, right?!
So starting today....before you say NO, think about why you are saying it and what it would hurt. THEN each day convince your child you believe they can do ANYTHING and prove it to them by letting them do it!
8 comments:
That IS the best school picture I have EVER seen. I love it. He looks so proud.
I have been trying to do that with my girls, trying to think before I say "no." I do believe I hold them back from things just because what they want to do is not convinient for me.
I hope Ellen is still on TV in 20 years so Jake can submit this for "Bad Paid For Photos" cuz its HILARIOUS!!!!! You didn't tell us why he says he hates it! Thanks for all the tips since I am just "learning" and now I am FOR SURE going to let Ashlynn wear what she wants for at least ONE school picture....HAHAHA!
Being a photographer and I have thousand of pictures that I take yearly I still cave into those school photos because of ones just like this.
I absolutely LOVE this photo and it actually brings out his freckles.
Hooray for you...I totally would have done the same thing! That was the best $30 EVER SPENT! That thing is going down in history :)
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You tell Jake that Aunt Kayla and Uncle Brian think he rocks! Can you imagine what a treasure this picture will be? This is like wedding video material. The leopard vest just kills me. Good on ya Jake!
What a cool picture. Jake you are total right!!! That is the coolest picture ever!!!!!
It's the vest that just sends it from good to great!
Can you remember when you, Clint and Lisa slept with your Halloween pumpkins? After spending hours carving them and getting them just right you didn't want to just leave them sitting on the table and go to bed. So I let you sleep with them. People thought I was crazy! You were all very happy. As a mom we have to sometimes pick our battles. Your kids need you to say yes sometimes. I always asked myself, "Is there an eternal consequence to this?" If not, I usually said yes. If so, then I put my foot down and you knew I was serious. (I think).
I have a school picture of Rachel where she looks just like Legolas from Lord of the Rings. She thought her hair was so cool that day. Now she can't bear to see the picture. I tried to tell her.....
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