I mean, just look at it like this: kids are born with an inability to over-feed themselves, or allow themselves to starve, so we’re told as parents to allow them to communicate their food needs.

I think it works similarly with most things – we’re really just there to keep them from getting in, over their heads.

I struggled a few weeks ago about getting my sons curls cut off. Then after we did it and saw how freaking cute he looked I just had to laugh at myself. But its hard to let go!

I love your parenting philosophy! I’m still struggling with our challenging six year old and these issues. Why is it we have such a gut feeling sometimes that we need to impose our will on our kids? I mean really, it never works out the way we want it to does it.

My mother would never let me cut my hair. For some crazy reason, she had a change of heart one day when I was 14. I went to the nearest salon and got a cut so short they had to shave the nape of my neck. I loved it, and I think I loved it that much more when she saw it and cried.

What we do not give our children… they will take someday. The question is whether we want them to take for themselves or simply to spite us. I think you’re doing a marvelous job of ensuring Isobel grabs everything she wants in life for all the right reasons.