Thanks Mackenzie...

It's hard to think of a child that really inspires you. Besides your own children or a child in your family, you really have to think about one that makes you want to do better by you and by your family. Well, last year, I found one, and her name is Mackenzie.



If you are a reality TV junkie like me, the name Mackenzie might ring bells in your head. Yes, I'm talking about the wonderful, terror of a girl from the hit show, Toddlers and Tiaras. Still not sure about who she is? Here's a taste of her "wonderfulness":


Now, you may wonder why this handful of a girl is an inspiration to me. Well, she's taught me so many things about myself and my own children:

- The name Nene should be reserved as a nickname for a person , not a pacifier. Also, at 4, there should be no Nene or paci or binky in sight. This may induce immediate bratiness in a child, and frustration in an adult. If you are wearing false lashes and sucking on something meant for babies, we have a problem.

- Know what you want and stick to it. One thing I can say about Mackenzie is that when she wants to win, she turns on the charm and wins. That's it. It's like night and day with her once she hits that stage. Even though I know she will grow up to have psychotic issues, I can take that idea and use it in my adult life. You have to have a vision and "turn on the charm" to make it work. With Mackenzie it's usually a power wheels or a canopy bed. With me it's a house for my family or paying down our debt. It's all relative but it works for all situations.

-Always keep in mind that kids are little people. For real. This is something that I realized once my kiddo turned 4 and wanted to do everything Mom and Dad did. He was determined to do what he wanted to do as well. If he knew how to drive and cook his meals. I'm sure we'd be kicked to the curb. The fact that kids are little adults means that like adults, they can challenge you for the better or the worst. Mackenzie, like most of the crowned toddlers and kids on the show, challenge her parents to no end. Demanding, difficult, and unnecessarily stubborn. Most kids, whether they are yours or not, can challenge you in a positive or negative way. It's your job to create the challenge you want.

-You get out what you put in. Obviously, you can't put Mackenzie's behavior all on her. It's the job of her parents to instill positive into their child so they can reap the benefits of a child with positive in their head, heart and soul. This is true with any part of life. The more effort you put in, the better the reward you will receive. The positivity and light you put out into the world, the more blessings you will receive in return.

So, thanks Mackenzie for always teaching me a lesson every time I view you on TV. Because of you, I'm a better person. I bet you never thought someone would say that to her, did you? Well, I did.

This post was inspired by Mama Kat's Writing Workshop.