NOGG was born one day after my daughter was invited to a birthday party at a kids' spa. The whole experience was glitter, makeup, and sparkle. At the end, they dressed all the girls in pink tutus for a mini catwalk, where each one shared her favorite color and what she wanted to be when she grew up. It was a drop-off party. When I came back to pick up my daughter, the catwalk was underway—and only she and another girl weren’t wearing the tutu, didn’t have makeup on, and hadn’t gotten their hair done.
My first reaction was disappointment. My heart sank. I asked her why she didn’t want to dress up or look “girlie” like the others. Her answer hit me like lightning.
She said, “Mom, I don’t need all this glitter and pink. I honestly don’t even like it. I’m cool the way I am—and I feel pretty and awesome like this.”Wow. That moment changed everything for me.
I realized I was exactly like her. I had always been the girl climbing trees, playing every sport, loving nature and the outdoors—never caring if my hair was messy or if I broke a nail. But it took me years to fully embrace that side of me. To understand that this strength, this freedom, this joy, was something to be proud of.
- My first reaction was disappointment. My heart sank. I asked her why she didn’t want to dress up or look “girlie” like the others. Her answer hit me like lightning.
She said, “Mom, I don’t need all this glitter and pink. I honestly don’t even like it. I’m cool the way I am—and I feel pretty and awesome like this.”Wow. That moment changed everything for me.
I realized I was exactly like her. I had always been the girl climbing trees, playing every sport, loving nature and the outdoors—never caring if my hair was messy or if I broke a nail. But it took me years to fully embrace that side of me. To understand that this strength, this freedom, this joy, was something to be proud of.