“Straps go on the outside!”my three year old exclaims as she reassures herself that she’s putting her sneakers on the correct feet. Those velcro straps come in handy with helping her remember which one goes on which foot. Her Crocs, however, are a different story. She loves wearing them around the house; nevertheless, more times than not, they’re on the wrong feet. Her father or I will tell her, “You need to swap your shoes and put them on the right feet.” To which she typically responds, “They feel fine to me! I love them this way.” She’s even asked, “If they are on the wrong feet, how come I can still walk in them?” Sometimes, I just let her keep them on the wrong feet as long as she’s not tripping around, but it got me thinking about how everyone has their own shoes to fill, even my three year old. Sometimes what everyone knows to be correct may not feel right to her, and what is considered the standard way may not be “the way” for her, especially as she gets older and continues to become her own person. Perhaps this is an example of her ability to “march” to her own tune or even lead the metaphorical marching band rather than follow. I know she will eventually master her right shoe from her left. But the true challenge will be her ability to master right from wrong as she goes through life even if the majority of her friends are headed down the wrong path. Though there is no way of knowing what path she will choose, it gives me comfort knowing that her father and I will be there along the way offering guidance and providing her with some footsteps in which to follow.

All the best,

Tanya