Loving Our Kids Through Every Phase They Experience

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As one phase wraps up, another begins—enter the Disney princess stage.

It was the summer before Lucy turned three when I stumbled upon a flyer for a local performance of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Taking a toddler to a musical for the first time is like stepping into the unknown; you never really know how they’ll react.

Once the show started, Lucy was utterly captivated, despite having skipped her usual afternoon nap. The performances were delightful, but my main focus was on her. I wanted to etch her expressions of wonder into my memory.

I knew the musical numbers well, so I caught her tiny face at the perfect moments. The joy in her eyes as the townspeople sang “Bonjour! Bonjour! Bonjour, bonjour, bonjour!” was priceless. And I couldn’t help but smile as her cheeks lit up during “Be Our Guest” while plates and forks danced across the stage.

When the wolves made their entrance, I braced myself for a meltdown. The auditorium was dim, the atmosphere tense, and I could see the wolves’ glowing yellow eyes emerge. The ominous music filled the air as they chased Belle’s father through the woods.

But then, from my almost three-year-old came a shriek that morphed into uproarious laughter. It was so loud that the audience around us joined in the chuckles. Lucy was delighted by those “scary” wolves!

As we left the theater, she looked up at me with her big blue eyes and exclaimed, “Those wolves were so funny, Mommy!” I replied, “They were so funny, Lucy, just like you!”

Once we got to the car, I handed her a bag containing my old Belle and Beast dolls from childhood. She took them into the house and, as you can guess, the Disney princess obsession kicked into high gear.

Princess-themed toothbrushes, pink, purple, and “Cinderella blue” pads of paper, and a mountain of stickers—there were stickers everywhere! They ended up on hands, cheeks, shirts, and even the couch. We had lunch bags and plastic dolls with changeable outfits.

T-shirts in every size imaginable, socks, shorts, sneakers, hair bows—all featuring princesses. And yes, the princess underwear, too.

When I felt overwhelmed by it all, I remembered my own childhood phases. At around 11 or 12, I was obsessed with horror movies. My parents were supportive, taking me to see films on weekends, with my dad chuckling as I placed VHS tapes on the counter.

I saved my babysitting money to buy horror magazines, filled with photos and articles about my favorite characters. Forget teen heartthrobs; my crushes were Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees.

The height of my horror fascination came in late summer 1989 when I saw A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child in theaters. Following that, I scared my friends at sleepovers with my Freddy Krueger doll, eerily singing, “One, two, Freddy’s coming for you…” It’s a miracle I kept any friends during that time.

All kids go through phases, some more bizarre than others (mine certainly was!). Regardless of what my kids decide to embrace, I’m here to support them—just like my parents did for me.

So if my oldest daughter wants a black wardrobe for a year, that’s cool. If my son wants to spend every Friday playing Dungeons and Dragons in high school, I’m in. If my youngest decides to become a vegetarian at 12, bring it on! And if those phases turn into lifestyles, I’ll embrace those too. After all, how could I not after my Freddy Krueger phase?

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In summary, no matter the phases or interests our children pursue, it’s essential to support and embrace them wholeheartedly, as these experiences shape who they are becoming.