I have been on a word kick lately. There’s this phrase my daughter uses a lot now. It’s as simple as this: “I got it”. She uses it when she wants to buckle the top part of her seat belt herself (always). She uses it when we say she can have a Popsicle. She uses it when we ask her to get her shoes. You get the jist. She has got it.

What’s really cool about it is the confidence. It’s like she’s already separating from us and becoming independent. And we have given her the space to do this. Sure, we sometimes follow too close and don’t want her to fall down or make a big mess or make a mistake. But she also has been enabled by us to do things on her own and to know that we have her back should she mess up. And where did she learn this phrase? From us. Like if Becky needs a fork from the kitchen, I would say “I got it”. If I ask Becky to pick up a prescription from the store while out shopping, she’s “got it”. Three such simple words but such a different reason when used by a 3 year old and a mid 30’s person.

Sometimes, it really pays to listen to your crazy kid. They are saying more than you think.