This child learned how to boogie board for the very first time. My husband taught her how and she loved every single second of it. Back and forth, in and out of the waves she went. She didn’t always stay on her board as her little body wasn’t strong enough yet to endure the power of ocean currents and not be moved from her board.

She was fearless. It didn’t matter to her if she wiped out. She got up, cleared the sand and ocean water from her face and went right back out to the waves. She fought hard to master that boogie board. It was awesome to watch as I stayed on the sand counting seven heads.

Over the years, she has become more fearful of things. That is normal. Little children are blessed to not see the dangers all around them. They get to be naive so that they can be determined in their growth. It is for the parent to stand by and watch for the dangers around them. As we grow, we are more observant and aware of our surroundings. We are more likely to succumb to those whisperings from Satan about our inadequacies.

When she started becoming overwhelmed with how hard school can be, I reminded her of that boogie boarding experience. I reminded her of how determined she was to master that difficult but rewarding experience. School can be difficult, but it is also rewarding to master the art of learning. This helped give her the push and encouragement she needed to keep going.

With the therapies in our home, we have goals to meet. The kids have goals, and the parents have goals. I love the balance. The newest parent goal is giving more affirmations to the kids. This can be challenging if it is not in your nature. At the time this goal was created, it was easy for me to give affirmations and consistent encouragement to some kids but not others. It didn’t come as naturally to me.

When it came time to review the data for the goals, I fell short in my goal. It was shared very kindly and gently that I needed to do better. I explained that I was working on this internally. I did not want to do these affirmations just to check a box for the short time they were there. I don’t work that way. I needed it to be genuine and it needed to just become how I talk with the kids every day.

Within days, I somehow realized that I had achieved my goal. While it doesn’t matter what the data says to me. All that matters is that I am doing it always, especially when therapists aren’t around. And things will improve. And you know what? It has. In just a short time, our whole environment has changed.

It is a little heavy to know that I need to be the rock for everyone around me when I am “drowning” myself. It makes me frustrated that I don’t get to feel my feelings without setting the tone of the house. That is the key to it thought, isn’t it? I set the tone of the house.

A long time ago, the Relief Society in my church gave a Christmas gift to the women. It was a plaque that says, “To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world.”

Yes. This. I am the rock to my children. And even if I feel as though I might be drowning, I try to come up for air for them. They get me out of bed every morning. They are the reason that I do hard things. They are my world. And I am theirs.

You know who else feels this way? Heavenly Father. We are His world. And He can be ours. He is just waiting for us to invite Him in. It has to be our choice. He will never force us. He loves us too much to do that.

You know what else? He even gives to us His celestial affirmations. He will send His love to you. You will feel it in your heart, or He will send someone to you to give it to you if you are not in a place to feel it yourself. Be mindful of those times. He is aware of you. Your good times He is celebrating with you. Your hard times He is mourning with you, but also, He is blessing you with things to get through. Look for those little gifts from Him. They are there.