The Beauty of Innocence

**If you haven't had a chance to read about Landon's helmet scroll down!**

Have you ever wondered when we started becoming insecure about ourselves? Was it in elementary school when you realized there was a social hierarchy? Or that not everyone played together on the playground? Was it in adolescence when you discovered your first zit? Or when the person you were pining over didn't return the sentiment (and it felt like everyone knew about it)?

Parenting has brought it's own new set of insecurities ... and I'm pretty certain I'm not alone in feeling them.

But I look at Landon and just think ... how on earth could you EVER be insecure and not know how incredible you are?

And you know what ... I'm sure our own mother's felt that way about us. When did we stop listening? And when do children stop listening to themselves? Because I assure you ... right now Landon still knows he is really cool ... and very handsome!

Case in point:

This morning I took him into my bathroom to sit on the counter in front of me and look in the mirror while I finished up getting ready. It's something we do most mornings. Landon is a huge fan of himself in the mirror :)! But I wondered what he would do since he hadn't really seen the helmet on his head yet.

Well ... let me tell you ... he was THRILLED to see himself ... just like every morning!! And he didn't even seem to notice that there was something different about him at all! He just embraced his reflection like he always does with a big grin!

It made me want to cry I was so happy he felt that way! Don't you wish you would have been able to do that at 13? 23? Or how about this morning when you noticed the bags under your eyes ... or that pesky 5 lbs. ... from the last holiday season you just can't seem to get rid of.

I'll admit. I am guilty of not being able to do that.

But Landon? Not yet ... that kind of innocence is so beautiful, and I will do everything in my power to let him know that he is wonderful just the way he is - and to embrace all the things that make him unique. I know he'll have insecurities at some point ... but I hope to help him be resilient enough to overcome them.

I'm grateful for the support we have available to us as parents to help give our kids what they need. When my mom came over this morning to watch Landon the first thing she said to him was that she thinks he is so handsome. Does he understand the words? Nope, but he definitely understood that she loves him and that was enough to make him smile again.

And perhaps by facing some of my own insecurities and admitting my own imperfections openly will help both of us to be stronger and more confident in the long run.