This week I feel like my mind is running a mile a minute with a thousand things on my to-do list. I am sticking to my 6 List, like I mentioned on my first Focused Friday Post (CLICK HERE to read about the 6 List) but in all honesty, I think I could create 5 “6 Lists” this week since I am throwing my 3 year old daughter a birthday party.

 

I want to focus this week on my daughter since this is her special day. She only turns 4 once, and I will have to say, this is a big 4! She is so, so very excited about turning 4. She’s starting to realize how becoming older comes with a lot of amazing privileges.

 

My little girl is no longer little any more. She’s growing in height and in maturity, and she recognizes it also. She says to me “Look, Mommy, I am taller now and I can reach the sink without a stool.” Now she is finally able to take dance class after watching her older sister do it for 2 years without her. She waited a long time to step foot in that special dance room!

 

If I spent this week focused on planning the ultimate birthday party, but lost sight of my daughter’s happiness, I would be in the wrong. Catering to my guests at the party instead of making sure my daughter enjoyed every possible minute of the party would be something I would regret when it was all over.

 

Instead, the focus of my attention should be solely on my little girl who is turning 4. It’s her special day, it’s her birthday, that only happens once a year and this day is a day to celebrate her being brought into this world. We are celebrating her life!

 

(Last year’s birthday picture)

We are not celebrating anything else but her, so of course it should be all about her.  It’s easy to be caught up in the planning process, the perfection of what everything looks like when it’s all set up and the smiles on your guests faces when they enter the door. It can be challenging to juggle conversations with your party guests when you have your little birthday girl tugging on your shirt asking for another juice box.

 

In the moment, I want to stay focused on my daughter and give her the utmost attention possible on this one day, because she deserves my attention and she deserves to be happy.

 

This can be applied to any day in your child’s life, in actuality. Not just on their birthday but any ordinary day. What if we pretended every day was your child’s birthday. How would it look differently in your home? Hmmm, something to ponder.

 

I challenge you to focus on one of your kids and treat your daughter or son like it’s their birthday, without telling them what you are doing, and at the end of the day see if you have noticed a change in your child’s normal behavior. Were they happier, more well-behaved, were they confused and asked you “Who are you? You’re not my mom.”  Comment below and let me know how the challenge went!

Keep Smiling,

Dr. Jena Bradley, DPT