Teaching Your Kids To Embrace Their Individuality

I’ve never been one to give advice on raising kids—we all parent differently and I certainly am not the perfect parent. But when it comes to embracing your kids’ individuality, I’ve learned a thing or two from our Boss Baby Brody. It really is true that our children teach us as much as we teach them!

And the biggest lesson I’ve learned? Raising your children to be themselves doesn’t have to be so complex. It really doesn’t. Don’t let the news articles, the haters, or mom groups tell you any differently — raising your kids to be who they are is a one-step guide. Starting and ending with your support.

A child’s brain has its most dramatic growth period from birth until the age of 5. Kids learn from observation and instruction, which sharpens their cognitive abilities.

What We Give Them

The greatest gift we can give our children is the space and support to be authentically themselves. Why force our kids to be anything or anyone that they’re not?! So long as they are practicing love, respect, and kindness, they can be whoever they want to be.

It would have been super easy to clip Brody’s wings and prevent him from wearing costumes. But I didn’t. It would have been super easy to disable his love for performing and not let him enroll in classes. But I didn’t. I could have replaced his princess castles with trucks. But I didn’t.

Instead, I let him dress in whatever he wants. (Glitter and dresses included!) Instead, I enroll him in dance classes and let him dance wherever he goes—literally, wherever he goes. Instead, Bobby and I buy him toys that match his interests, including castles, Barbies, and all the glitter you could imagine.

Can I love and support my son for liking things that are not what society deems normal for his gender? ⁣Yes, I can!⁣ And you know what they give us in return?

See more dancing videos by Boss Baby Brody on City Girl Gone Mom TikTok!

What They Give Us

Joy. Unabashed joy. Seeing Brody dance in the studio, in the yard, in the grocery store, and every other place we go gives me so much joy. And it’s not just us—his joy affects everyone around him, strangers included! Dancing is his solace; bright, glittery pieces express his personality, and his creativity helps him grow.

It’s Brody’s individuality that makes him flourish. It’s that unmatched confidence and free spirit that makes him unique. His confidence has challenged the rest of us to embrace our own inner selves and to walk more proudly, no matter what anyone else says. When I see him with his siblings and his friends, I see a young boy who treats people fairly, who is kind, who is loving, and who just so happens to leave a trail of glitter everywhere he goes. What a gift.

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Playtime is a very powerful and necessary learning tool for youngsters. Playing is critical to a child making social connections, expanding and using their imagination, and developing language and motor skills.

The Result

Familial bliss. I have children who feel comfortable and confident in expressing who they are. We have a happy home. It’s our job to raise our children with good morals and values! But it’s also our job to encourage creativity, teach our kids kindness and respect, and let them be who they are! ⁣Brody was meant to have us as parents, and we encourage all parents to allow their kids to be their most authentic selves! It’s the best thing we could ever do for our tribe of the Schaffer Six!

We’re raising our kids to be their unique selves, and your feedback has been so overwhelming. Never in our wildest dreams did we think that our precious Brody would leave such a massive impact on so many people—these screengrabs are just a small selection of the many positive messages we’ve received about our Boss Baby.

Raising Amazing Kids

We are tricked into thinking that this is a complex issue. That there are a myriad of talks and discussions and investigating that must be done to get to the root of these “issues.” But isn’t it easier to just let your kid be the guide on who they are? Isn’t it easier to give them room to express themselves? For us, it is. Are you with us? ⁣

Children who enjoy playing a musical instrument or sing, greatly increase their math skills, attention span, and hand-eye coordination.