To really understand what happened you have to understand that about a year ago Monkey had really wanted to start learning how to decorate cakes. Pretty much the only thing she wanted for Christmas that year was a set of cake decorating stuff. She used them that Christmas and then again for her birthday. She's even got a full board with I don't even want to think about how many gorgeous cake ideas pinned on my pinterest. Problem is that we don't have lots of chances to practice with them since I rarely make cakes or cupcakes.
So back to today. She's been so excited helping me plan this and pinning like crazy for more ideas the past few days. Finally she picked her tip and we got all set up. I decided that I'd start off the first cupcake to get it flowing a little bit. Logical enough right. Well I made a huge mom-error. I started right off commenting on how funny mine looked and how I wasn't really very good with it and how we could just save it for us. Then I handed over the bag and went to work on the dishes. I should have known what was coming. Next thing I hear are comments like "mine looks funny" "I can't do this" and "yours looks so much better then mine". I wanted to smack myself in the head.
See it doesn't take a genius to figure out that kids copy their parents. When we don't love ourselves they see that and pick up on it. When we systematically explore and publicize all our faults they then look at where they are and see themselves as lacking and deficient. This goes for other people around us too. If we are so self-conscious or even just want to appear more humble then we are, "oh this old thing?!" or "please excuse our mess!" or "I'm so stupid" what does that do to friends who are self-conscious about their fashion style, home, or intelligence. They can start to doubt and look for the worst in their own selves or at the very least don't want to include us in their lives because they are worried about what we will think.
I'm not saying we should ignore our weaknesses or pretend that we have a talent that we don't but we can be honest about the good in ourselves as well as the areas that we may still need some improvement.
And after all - the cupcakes were perfectly fine, it isn't like monkey and I were trying to decorate cakes professionally. It's for a bunch of young girls that will probably just grab and devour them anyways - and for that, I think they are perfect.
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