Why can't my amazing daughter enjoy being a girl? As a little one she wanted to be just like Daddy so being a boy was part of that. She wasn't into dolls and dresses -- she liked soccer and sports of all kinds. I encouraged the sports. I also tried to encourage the feminine side which my husband pretty much shunned. M saw this and focused on the traditional "boy" things as her interests. She would have a fit over wearing a dress -- but what tomboy wouldn't? I always did.

When her first communion came around we had a seamstress make her a dress. She fought it at first but then actually admitted she loved how she felt beautiful in the dress. She enjoyed her family party in our home and was a fabulous hostess. For the pioneer school experience I made her a long skirt, apron, and bonnet and she enjoyed the compliments on her outfit. She is 10 now and her class is having another pioneer day digging deeper into our state history. She had to write in a diary and make up a character. She named herself Erin and wrote in the diary that she is a 26 year old male.

Why does this bug me? I just wish she would enjoy being a girl. I wish she would value herself as a female and when this happened it made me feel like a complete failure as a mother. How can I raise such an amazing child to have her continue to celebrate all that is male and deny her own femininity. On the other hand, she does think that having a period would be cool... So maybe she won't be signing up for a sex change. I hope not. I just hope and pray that she loves herself for who she is. She is a giving, kind, sweet, and wonderful child. She is caring to other people and always puts them at ease. She reaches out and shares her smile easily. She is not crushed if her team loses a game or a goal is scored on her as goalie. She is beautiful and I'm proud of her.

I want her to love herself as a female. It hurt to have her want to play the male role once again. I'm wondering if this is bugging me because of the depression. Or would this bug me anyway. Ugh!