Empowerment "Ronious" style (It's like a Ninja Art!)

Empowerment - Foster individual self-discovery and self-esteem. Validate trying, taking healthy risks, and listening to inner truths.

As I put this week's new parenting virtue at the top of my page, I had to laugh. Of all the virtues I hope to instill in my daughter, empowerment is almost a no brainer. Just read some of the Stuff The Girl Says in the scroll at the top of this blog and you are pretty clear that Sweets's self esteem and risk taking tendencies are in full force. Of course I realize a teen age girl will likely require bolstering but I really feel we have laid a solid foundation.

The Sweetie and I realize we have actively fostered this but having an empowered three year old is not without its challenges. We joke that she has her own special Ninja Art. We call it the ronious factor. I can not tell you how we came up with this made up word, just that it organically arose with some of her first classic ronious moves.

Like the time I caught her walking across the back of the couch, or the day she was doing some "fantastic leaps" off some concrete ledges and totally messing around, pretending to jump off a small ledge when I said to her... "OK already, are you going to jump or what?" -- she looks at me and then says "Wait for it... wait for it (takes the leap) ...TaDa!" with hands raised in the air!

Then there was the time just before her second birthday, we were at the park and she wanted to try climbing up the swinging rope ladder. Hanging off the VERY HIGH play structure designed for 5 year old and older kids it is the one climbing thing she had yet to master. Frankly, I didn't think she could do it AND I didn't want to encourage such a dangerous looking activity. She pleaded "Please help Mommy" and I tried to direct her interest toward other things... "Why not try the tunnel slide... I'll catch you at the bottom." or "How about that ladder (a different non-swinging type) ... you are really good at that one! (As shown in picture!)" but she would not be deterred. Finally when it was clear I was not going to do what she was asking she looked at me and said "That's ok mommy. Kid's daddy will help." and then she proceeded to walk over to a random father of a five year old she hadn't yet met and asked him to help!

She was not going to be deterred!  Finally to her delight and after an approving, however grudgingly nod from me "the kid's daddy" did help by spotting from the bottom and I met her at the top where she triumphantly cried. "Sweets did it!" (she of course used her real name!) I honestly can site example after example of her roniousness.  As Sweetie says, "The Girl is such a ronious!!"

"The Ronious" even has a theme song, stolen from the Simpsons Movie our tune is sung to the Spidey Pig theme song.  Ronious, Ronious... doing the things roniouses do!

Now that she is three her ronious abilities are being even more finely tuned. I already told you that she has figured out how to open the double locked front door of our home. In addition to her physical roniuosness she has also amped up her wit and comedic timing. The other day I offered her a candy and she looked at me and said, "Can I have three?... I am really cute!"

Just today, on the way home from the park, The Girl squeezed applesauce all over herself and the car seat. I sternly asked her why she did it. She said, "Because it is funny." I went all mom on her and said "It is not funny!" A few minutes go by and she says, "It's a little funny mommy, isn't it?" 


Tactical parenting faux pas not withstanding, I don't have a chance. I just couldn't help laughing. She totally got me. It actually was a lot more then a little funny!

What "Ninja Art" does your child practice?  Do you have a ronious in your house too? 

Next post: Wordless Wednesday

My Thirteen Virtues of Great Parenting are:

Fun, Discipline, Creativity, Love, Wonder, Listening, Curiosity,

Compassion, Trust, Acceptance, Empowerment, Humility and Flexibility

This week is all about Empowerment. Next week we tackle Humility.