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Dear Strong Willed, Determined Child

Dear Strong Willed, Determined Child

Dear strong willed, determined child.

I love your fire burning deep in your belly, that vivacious, purposeful drive that guides your intensity. I love your passion, your glistening, glowing flash of passion that fills your every being. I love your short fuse, your raging temper, that turbulent anger that rises and rocks, shakes and shatters yet just as quickly, fades, diminishes, exhausted and settles. I love your focus, fixed and fastened, unwavering in its intent and goal. I love your scope, the way you see and experience the world, freely, unrestricted, blurring of boundaries. I love your mischief, you wicked, marvelous laughter, joking, playing, joyful. I love your sense of humor, full bodied, masterful, calculating. I love your tears, hot and heavy, heaving, genuine and pure. I love your stubbornness, strong, grounded, planted stance. I love your sensitivity, your aching full heart, your furrowed brow, the weight of the world carried, firmly on your small shoulders.

I love the places that you take me, our obstacles, hurdles and adventures. I love the challenges you present in me, the moments when I’m mindful, watchful, reflective. I love the limits that you push me, some I rise to some I fall. I love the child you bring out in me, the happy, carefree, playful innocence. I love the soaring highs and the crushing lows, the perpetually moving motions on emotions, carefully carrier, caressed or consoled. I love the mirror you hole before me, looking back with brutal honesty, truth, perfections and flaws.

Sometimes my will will break under the strength of yours. There will be shouting, screaming, frustration, butting heads and clashing. I will be turned around in the journey, lost and navigating, lonely, looking to find my way. I will be scared of the unknown and the places of myself I did not know, the depths and the uncertainties of self. I will cry, yes my sweet child I will cry, I will weep heavy tears shaking, vulnerable, fragile and small. But in these moments you will find me, you will meet my eyes with yours, with greater understanding and knowing than I’ve ever known myself. We will learn together in this, will adapt and change, growing together through the good, the bad and the ugly. You chose me for a reason and I chose your little soul too for the same complicated, imperfect journey.

For all the things I love in you, the strongest and the truth is that I love the way you love, with every fibre of your being, every inch of your beautiful soul, full, open, flowing love racing from me and back to you, continuous, complete and with unconditional connection. Thank you my wonderfully strong willed, determined child.



Laura Sheehan

Laura Sheehan is an early childhood teacher and Perth based mum of two to Brody aka 'The Hurricane' and Daisy aka 'Little Ray of Sunshine.' Laura hosts a small blog The Whole Mummy looking at all things Mummy, the good, the bad and the ugly with brutal truth and honesty. Laura works closely with the Meningitis Centre Australia, having nearly lost her Hurricane to Meningococcal B Meningitis, as well as the Stillbirth Foundation Australia due to the heartbreaking stillborn loss of her second son Beau. Laura, along with her former Wallaby husband and their family aim to promote awareness of these two tragedies, offering support and encouraging greater understanding of each. They are ambassadors for both the Men Centre and The Stillbirth Foundation You can follow and learn more about Laura's story on her blog thewholemummy.com and her social media (Instagram and facebook links).


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