The other night my daughter was reading to me. She’s six. When she got to a harder word, she started to stumble and she looked to me for help. I wanted to tell her what the word was (hey, I had dishes to do, laundry waiting, and a few work emails to write) but instead she started to sound it out. The first two times she didn’t recognize the word, and then — all of a sudden — she heard herself say it.

That flash of recognition and pride on her face was priceless and as she continued on I could feel her confidence growing.

Ever had one of these moments with your child?

My husband and I have three daughters – we hit the trifecta this year with one in high school, one in middle school, and one in kindergarten. As we navigate the pleasures and perils of being a family, I find myself returning to my touchstone, my big picture question:

What do I want most for my daughters? Continue reading →