Dear Mia,
I can’t express enough how wonderfully perfect you are at 5. You’re bright, full of curiosity, and delightfully silly in that way only little ones can be. Your laughter, a sweet giggle, floats up like tiny musical notes, making everything feel magical.
Your face is a canvas of emotions, and it’s beautiful to see everything you feel without any pretense (P.S. Trust me, pretending is overrated). You’re growing taller and stronger, and your eagerness to run everywhere—often pretending to be “Supergirl” instead of walking—keeps you so lively. That tiny touch of toddler roundness? I’ll cherish that long after you’ve grown into a bigger girl.
So when you said your legs looked fat, my heart sank like a stone in a deep lake. I never want you to feel less because of what the world might say. Not now, and honestly, not ever. I know it’s unrealistic, but I want to shield you from that for as long as I can.
Here’s what I hope I conveyed to you in that moment. I hope I didn’t mess it up too badly. I really don’t want to be the subject of your future memoirs where you blame me for leading you down the path of insecurities! This conversation is one I’ll treasure forever, and I want you to remember it too.
Your legs aren’t just meant to look good in skinny jeans or to dangle gracefully from a fancy dress. Their true purpose is to be strong and capable. Your legs are your trusty companions every day, walking you to school, helping you play with friends, and climbing that wall that’s been a challenge.
They allow you to jump, run, skip, and dance. When you dash up and down the stairs, enjoy hide and seek in the park, or tackle the jungle gym, it’s all because you are healthy and strong. And trust me, when you get older, you’ll still rely on those legs.
Picture this: as a college student, you’ll walk to class because you’ll be too broke for a car (believe me, it’s true!). You’ll need them for your summer job in Greece, giving us heart palpitations, but we’ll love hearing from you regularly. Gym sessions, clubbing with friends, and maybe even navigating a fun run for a good cause will all be part of your adventures.
Your legs will carry you up to the stage to receive your diploma, soothe your babies when they wake up at 4 a.m., and help you run from danger (like hungry lions or questionable characters) or toward excitement (like bungee jumping!). And when you need to come home, those legs will run back to your family, because that’s what family is for.
So, never doubt for a second that you’re perfect just as you are or that your body isn’t good enough because someone else suggests otherwise. I created you, piece by piece, and you’re everything you were meant to be, and then some.
With all my love,
Mum