Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone (Fashion Blog Post)

 

 

The princess and the pioneer.

I want to raise pioneers. I want my girls to grow up and become strong, independent thinkers. I want them to obtain the confidence to take on the world.

I want them to fail, multiple times, so that success, when they've earned it, tastes sweeter. I want them to not only know of, but experience hardship, and try and try until they come out ahead.

I want them out of their comfort zone, at least once in a while -- to jump off a cliff, and build their wings on the way down. 

But wanting is different from making it happen.

In fact, pioneers are pretty hard to come by. I know because our 3-year-old provokes me to give up with every tantrum, public or private. What keeps me battling on is that I don't want to raise princesses.

NO THANK YOU!

Princesses are entitled. (Think: Paris Hilton.) They get whatever they want without putting in hard work, and will (most likely) grow into self-serving, accountability-deprived adults. What do they know of getting out their comfort zone? Of failure? And most of all, how would they ever contribute to society?

But princesses are so much easier though.

Just give the kid whatever she wants, right?

NO THANK YOU!

Then the real test came: has my child been bullied in school?

Know this: Jo, our 3-year-old, loves school. Or she did until a few weeks ago. What was an excited trip up the stairs to her beloved Teacher J became an anxious experience and frenzied whining.

This went on for days and days. It sucked for everyone.

Why doesn't the kid like school anymore?

Turns out that some boy tried to hit her.

For the first time as a parent, I faced the most difficult decision: princess or pioneer?

Taking Jo out of school would have been the easier choice: no more dealing with this potential bully, or explaining that the world is tougher than she knows, or tirelessly encouraging a little girl to stand up for herself.

I mean, why not? I'll have less to worry about. Except I don't want to raise princesses! And neither does my husband. Joining forces, my husband and I fought on:

"Not everyone gets along..."

"If he tries to hit you again, just look him in the eye and say, 'don't hit people!'..."

"You don't need him to like you. You have Sabrina; you have Sophie; you have lots of friends..."

We've been at it for a few weeks.

So how's Jo doing now?

Not great but better. She no longer whines before school. And even though she's not thrilled to see this boy, she no longer fears him. I can honestly say that forcing her out of her comfort zone has built (at least some) confidence. 

And what does this long, boring story has to do with fashion?

Well, after seeing my daughter gaining courage outside of her comfort zone, I decided to go out of mine as well.

I'm not one to follow trends, but have been eyeballing summer's shorts-and-heels look. Finally, when the weather was still warm a few weeks back, I decided to give this combo a try. Sure it felt funny at first, but became natural soon after.

I know what you're thinking: she didn't get out very far. But hey, I spend most days in yoga pants. Give me a break!

What happened to the "bully?"

Oh. Him. After talking with Teacher J, we learned that the boy was "attracted to playing with Jo." He was just coming on too strong.

I wouldn't quite call it a crush, but it was definitely not bullying. (By the way, I also saw the boy in person, and our daughter pretty much towers over him. Definitely not bully-material.)

Thanks for reading.

 

What about you?

 

What are your thoughts about raising pioneers and getting out of your comfort zone?