Suck it Up

This is obviously a phrase I have used one too many times. The other day, my 5 year old was having a hard time getting her sneakers on. I guess they had gotten a little snug after I ran them through the wash. So, she's putting them on anyway, saying "I guess I'll just have to suck it up." Oh man, I felt so bad. Do I tell my kids to do that? I must. I know sometimes I kind of mean it. You know, if they fall, get up and brush yourself off. If you mess up, get up and fix it. I guess I'm trying to teach them in life that there are plenty of things you have to do before you get to do the things you might want to do. We live in a rough world where things are hard and things aren't always fair. And in this rough world, you do need to learn to suck it up sometimes, you know? I do think my kids will need to learn that sad truth eventually. But maybe not now. Maybe not at age 5. I got her a new pair of sneakers. A bigger pair. And they fit.