little baker {permission & encouragement}

I can’t keep up with her baking. Every day she asks to bake something. Most days I let her and we pass out the goods to neighbors or anyone that stops by the house. I used to look at it as just something she liked doing. Then somewhere along the way I realized this is kind of her thing and I need to pay close attention.

She has a brother that loves to code.

Another brother that loves everything that isn’t quiet or slow.

Another brother that devours all things business, investment, and leadership.

She loves to bake.

Good thing she has all those brothers!

How much do I help her? Pretty much I don’t. Every now and then she has a question, but most days I will run an errand and come home to find baked goods on the counter.

When I think about what has helped her grow her skills and develop her passion – as far as the parenting side goes – I think it boils down to giving her permission and encouragement. She has my permission and encouragement to go for it. Permission and encouragement to make a mess (if she cleans it up). Permission and encouragement to fail. Permission and encouragement to ask for help. Permission and encouragement to try. Permission and encouragement to keep making shopping lists for me. Permission while she is living under my authority. Encouragement that won’t have an expiration date.

At first it was hard to always see the beauty in the daily kitchen mess she would create. And then I began to see not a little girl making a mess, but a young woman growing into the gifts already in her. Maybe one day she will run her own bakery or maybe she will fill her kitchen with treats for others. I have no idea, but for now I’ll just keep buying her ingredients and limiting myself on how much of her creations I eat!

________________