Thank somewhere or other for little girls

Today my daughter Finn informed me that she hates the way I walk. "Why do you have to wiggle your bum like that? It's embarrassing."

Of course, she said this in front of a group of people as we stood at the bus stop. My first reaction was to get very mad, but people were watching. So, I smiled sweetly and asked her what she meant by that because that's what you're supposed to do if you're a good mother - encourage your precious little gift to express herself.

"You walk like a sexy lady. You should walk more like me." She then stomped around a little bit to demonstate. "See? That's not all sexy."

I had to hand it to her - she definitely didn't look sexy. With the stiff walk, the blond hair and blue eyes and very severe expression you had more of a Hitler Youth air about her. An older gent smiled at her and then looked at me shaking his head with obvious amusement. Finn sensed a grown-up ally and so upped her game. She sashayed around the bus stop bench, playing to the crowd and trilling, "Ooh look at me! I'm mommy and I like to wiggle my bum!" Several people laughed outright.

I explained to her (in a commendably even tone) that when girls become women their hips change a bit and they walk with a more circular motion. That it has nothing to do with being sexy and that it isn't very nice to make fun of someone for the way they walk.

"Oh mom, shaking your bum is not a disability."

Then the bus came. We boarded and she immediately forgot the whole conversation. I was denied the rebuttal I had yet to come up with. She was pointing out a dog on the street and a woman with the same handbag as me. I was destroyed, humilated and really, really annoyed and she was chirping away and holding my hand, happy as a lark.

Little girls are scary creatures.