A letter to my Daughter

Dear lovely girl,

When you were little, I worried a lot about you. I wondered what kind of a world I’d brought you into. I asked myself whether I would be able to protect you. It was hard. I then realized that worrying would do me no good, I had to do my job. And my job was to arm you with the skills you’d need to survive and be happy in this world.

There’s so much I need to teach you, but if I tried to write them all here, I’d spend the next few days listing things you’re not allowed to eat. I guess I’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing; I’ll patiently tell you to stop every time I see you putting soap, or papers, or keys or just about anything in your mouth. But below are a few things I want you to keep in mind little one. And since I know that your mind is tiny and your attention span is short,  I’ll try to keep this short and simple.

    • I can’t believe am starting with this one, but not all four legged animals are dogs, my love. No. Not even cats. Simply put, donkeys are not dogs, goats are not dogs, and cows are certainly not dogs. It might be confusing, but be patient baby; you’ll learn to tell the difference in no time.
    • Drink lots of water. It increases your metabolism, clears the toxins out of your body and regulates your temperature making it good for your digestion and skin. This you learnt early and I’m proud of you. Keep it up baby.
    • Milk is good for you. When I put it in your mouth, try not to spit it in my face. Swallow is what you should do, what you are supposed to do. Let us be considerate in future.
    • Be careful when crossing the road. Do not jaywalk. Vehicle are not your grandmother, respect them. Never pass in front of the vehicle you just alighted, for in your haste, you might miss an oncoming vehicle. This is for later, but it’s never too early to learn.
    • Always put on your seat-belt. Not because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s stupid not to.
    • It takes a lot of sacrifice from my end to let you feed yourself. Don’t look confused, we both know the kind of mess you leave afterwards. When I do, therefore, it’s only fair that you actually eat. Don’t smear the food on your face, don’t throw it up in the air, just eat it! And while we’re on that point, remember that we drink liquids from a cup. No, we don’t use spoons. Yes, I know it might be fancy in some other planet far, far away, but it’s just not practical.
    • Never pick your nose in public; always have a handkerchief.
    • Learn to cook. Takeouts are unhealthy. Too much fat and too much sugar. They are also full of empty calories.
    • Never email your supervisor when you’re angry. Avoid texting when emotions are running high. Try to cool down before you open your mouth. Again, it’s never too early.
    • Always trust your instincts.
    • Do not live beyond your means. You will be a lot happier if you just lived your life without trying to keep up with your peers.
    • Don’t take a loan to buy a car or borrow sugar from your neighbour. Salt is alright though. Here’s the rule: if you can’t do without it, then go right ahead; if you can, learn to live without it.
    • Never forget where you’ve come from.
    • Never skip breakfast. You need the energy to face the day and to lift your mood. Include proteins and lots of fibre; they take time to digest making you full for longer.
    • Eat your vegetables and fruits. They’ll keep your bowels moving smoothly.
    • Go to church often. It’ll help keep you grounded.
    • Choose a man who is not afraid to cook, wash dishes or change the baby’s diapers. Not because you want him to do it, but because it shows he’s very confident in his manhood.
    • Cross your legs when wearing a short skirt.
    • No matter what you’re told, believe that you can not only do anything a man can do, but you can also do it in heels. Don’t try to pee while standing though.
    • Brush your teeth at least twice every day.
    • Do not watch news if you cannot stomach the brutality of this world. Knowing something you cannot change does you no good. It will save you countless of sleepless nights and a lot of heartache. Read to keep up-to-date. Reading gives you control over what you need to take in. With TV news, you do not have that privilege.
    • Never disrespect your father, this old man you see soothed you to bed, carried you when you cried and changed your diapers.
  • As much as I’d like to tell you to always speak your mind, I also believe that you should be careful about what you say, when, where and who you say it to. Learn how to put your point across without hurting others’ feelings.

I’ll be teaching you a lot more.

Your Loving mum,

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