Teaching Your Daughter to Smile!

Teaching Your Daughter to Smile….
(Guest post by Brittany McDaniel)

We all know the saying, "Actions speak louder than words". Being a mommy to a 6 month old, there couldn’t be a more accurate phrase.

My Little Bear, bless her little 6 month old soul, is so passionate. Unfortunately, she has no words to express this passion to me. I, much like every other mother, have learned to discern her cries. I spend day after day responding to her emotions and teaching her new ones, so she can learn to express herself.

My new favorite thing is her smile. Recently, on a whirlwind of a road trip, it occurred to me where she learned to smile. 

When my sweet Little Bear smiles, she wrinkles her tiny nose (every time, without fail). Eyes aglow, nose wrinkled, and two precious bottom teeth make their debut as she opens her plump little lips to give her big grin. If she found something funny...the nose wrinkled. If she was simply returning a smile...the nose wrinkled. Every...single...time. And she learned it from me, her Mommy. 

I often find myself in the floor, trying to avoid the breakdown she's heading straight towards. I do what any sensible first-time mom would do and pull out all the “magic.” Making noises, funny faces, singing songs, clapping. You name it, we’re doing it. Inevitably, whatever was bothering her before seems to dissipate, and all that matters to me is the smiling (with that wrinkled nose) and laughing...it must be fun. Right? 

Of course I’m talking to her, teaching her words to use in the future to diffuse her own situation. But for now, all she understands are my actions. My smiles. My laughter. (Of course, there are other actions I’m sure I’ve taught her, but let’s don’t discuss those here. Deal?)

She loves what I love. Our daily dance parties are one of her favorites! Not because she loves dancing (she can’t even stand alone yet) or because she loves music. She loves it because I LOVE IT! (Side note: If you don’t dance around, you SHOULD! Try it! Life will never be the same.) The toys I love, she loves. The things I act excited about (like trying those nasty peas), she thinks are exciting too. 

She has no clue, no past experiences to build upon. I have the privilege of teaching her how to react 
to all sorts of new adventures.  I get to teach her to dance through life’s frequent rains, I couldn’t be more excited!

Mommies, no matter how young or old your babies are, your actions are speaking so much louder than your words. Take time today, teach your babies to smile. Share your joys with them, and let them learn just how fun life can be.

"A glad heart makes a happy face..." ~Proverbs 15:13

"Little Bear" and her famous smile!

(All photographs by Eye Photography)