“Daddy, when Bubba(Monkey) grows up, will he have a beard?”

This was the topic of conversation between me and my four-year-old daughter tonight at bedtime.

Quite forward thinking for a little girl.

I blame this on Disney. Anybody else got a daughter, niece, small child girl in their lives that is all about some “Dream big princess”? I admire Disney’s efforts to help little girls and young women see their future and hope for great and amazing things.

–Aside. For those of you who are clearly out of the loop, Disney’s present indoctrination campaign focused on girls shows a plethora of little girls dressed up or dreaming about being astronauts, doctors, lawyers, presidents, cops, etc, etc. To the backdrop of some lovely music and many of Disney’s princesses doing amazing things (think Pocahontas cliff diving or Rapunzel chasing her dreams).–

Moving on to the reality that sets in after such a conversation.

My four-year-old daughter has now thought about the facial hair growth of her special needs brother. Outside of whether or not daddy has trimmed his beard lately or that it might scruff her when I kiss her goodnight, this is not a thought I would have imagined to cross her young mind.

She will forever think of her brother in ways that I do not think she is able. She already is hyper vigilant to his needs in ways that should not have to be at such a young age.

It is not because we have asked her to think this way, she just does. She loves her brother more than I think even she knows.

Last week I had to go to a conference for work. My wife and kids stayed at my in-law’s house just down the road. The first night they were there, Princess comes out of their room after she has been put to bed. This would typically be frowned upon.

However, on this night she came out with a simple and reasonable request. She needed a brighter nightlight, she could not not see her Bubba.

These are not the exception or break in otherwise patterned behavior. This is her normal.

We fell into this life. She was born into it this way. She knows nothing else.