Am I Pretty, Mommy?

We went to a wedding reception a few months ago. As my five-year-old and I got out of our car, the flower girl was getting out of the car next to us. She had her beautiful flower girl dress on, flowers in her “up-do” and was looking as adorable as flower girls do!

My little girl was wearing a simple dress. We hadn’t done her hair, but it was brushed and clean. She looked as cute as ever. But as she looked at that beautiful flower girl, she said, “She is really pretty!” I agreed. Then she looked down at her dress, leggings and shoes. Then she looked up at me and broke my heart with these words, “Am I pretty, Mommy?” I literally began to cry in the parking lot!

Do we really start that young? Really? At five years old, we’re already comparing ourselves to others?

Of course we had a conversation about the difference between a flower girl and one who is just here for the reception. And we reminisced about the time my daughter was a flower girl and got to wear a fru fru dress and put flowers in her hair.

But her words still ring in my ears. How can I teach my daughter that no matter what she looks like, she is beautiful. She has been made in the image of God, created in His likeness.

Yes, Honey, you are so very pretty!