First of all, let me start by saying that I am addicted to macro photography. This morning, after walking the kids to school and exercising, I was fascinated by the water drops on the grass. I grabbed my camera and sat down in the wet grass to get as close as I could to the drops. I headed back inside my house with wet leaves stuck to my legs and a handful of new favorite photos.
What I really want to talk about today, though, is not water drops or grass or macro photography. I want to talk about confident, empowered children.
According to the Fishful Thinking website, Empowerment, or self-efficacy, is believing in oneself. It is knowing what your strengths are and how to use your strengths to navigate challenges and reach your goals. Kids with a strong sense of self-efficacy are:
* better problem solvers
* less likely to become helpless
* more resilient
* more willing to try new things and take risks.
I wish I could say that I have done something specific (something I could point a finger to) that has led my kids to be empowered, confident people. I wish I knew the secret so that I could pass it on. Fishful Thinking has a number of empowering activities, but my kids were showing these signs long before Fishful Thinking came into our lives.
This week, KitKat went all out during School Spirit week. Instead of seeking to fit in, she has consistently sought to stand out….in a good way! I don’t know if I ever had the confidence and the guts to dress truly “wacky” on Wacky Wednesday during Spirit Week in high school. This is not the first time KitKat has done this, but I don’t think it will ever cease to amaze me and fill me with pride when she does. I think she’s pretty awesome for doing this.
Hosted by Cecily and Lolli
To play Give Me Your Best Photo Story Friday, check this. Copy this code into your post and sign the link list:
© 2010, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
Those shots are unbelievable!!! Great Fishful Thinking shout-out & I love the Wacky Wednesday pic. :) Abby loved dressing up like that last year. Too funny.
[Reply]
That’s awesome! I love her hair!
[Reply]
Loving the water droplets. So fancy!
And, wow. I love that KitKat went all out. She did good.
[Reply]
So impressive!
[Reply]
Your macro shots are amazing but even more so is what you wrote about empowering children and confidence. It’s so important! My GMYBS actually goes right along with this. There was a time when my daughter, as much as she wanted to, wouldn’t enter races out of fear of not doing well. Not being fast enough. Happily that has changed and I couldn’t be prouder of her.
This is my first submission to GMYBS :)
[Reply]
The water droplets are amazing, Lolli. And, that hair! Gotta try that out, myself.
Have a wonderful weekend!
[Reply]
Raising confident girls is no easy feat. WTG, mama! I love her look. Her hair is awesome!
Great shots of the water droplets! That macro lens is AMAZING! I have serious camera envy.
[Reply]
Ok, first off, the photos are AWESOME! I am LOVING macro as well. FABULOUS!
Second, your daughter would completely and totally get along with my daughter Stephanie. So confident and just beautiful, inside & out.
Third, I have missed you, reading blogs, blogging, and normal life. Hoping to get back into the swing a little….
[Reply]
That’s it, I’m ordering a macro camera this weekend!
Love KitKat’s outfit. She looks like such a fun and unique girl!
[Reply]
Those macro shots are incredible. I’d love to see a picture of you taking your macro shots! I think sometimes I want to know the exact info of how to take shots like that. Like when people say, “GET CLOSE” do they mean, get 5 inches away or do they mean get 5 mm away? And, is a macro lens required for that? Or just suggested? Can it be done with a P-n-S? Questions like that. Because I like to know everything.
[Reply]
Lolli Reply:
October 28th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
Many point and shoots have great macro. It will say “macro” somewhere near the lens if it does. It’s a matter of magnification and not zoom. And, yes, I do get WAY up close to get those shots. I’ll try to get really good at it so I can share some macro tips in an upcoming tutorial!
[Reply]