Me: Hello little Daphne!

Inner Child: Hi Mom! You’ve been talking to me a lot lately.

Me: I guess I have, haven’t I? I hope that’s okay. Ever since our conversation a few days ago, talking to you has felt really good.

Child (smiling): I love you too! It’s a nice change. Before, the only time you’d think about me was when things went wrong.

Me (ashamed): Yeah, I know. I think that’s why I avoided you for so long. Feeling like you felt like failure. And, you know, the whole gender thing.

Child: I’m still a girl, right?

Me (laughing): Still a girl! Deliberately thinking about you and talking to you as a girl has really helped cement the idea into my head. And not just in bad situations; I’ve been consciously replacing my self-image with “girl me” in all sorts of contexts.

Child (happy): So I’ll stay a girl even as I grow up!

Me: Well, you’re a projection of a part of my personality, so I don’t know if you grow or there’s other, older versions of you instead… You know what? It doesn’t matter. Yes, you’ll stay a girl as you grow.

Child: Yay! Even if I’m just a fragment of your psyche, I’m glad I get to be with you, Mom.

Me: Yeah, me too. Honestly the “inner child” framing has been a really constructive way to approach this work. Raising “child me” is really helping me address some deep seated anxieties and insecurities.

Child (grateful): Seated in me. I’m glad you’re helping me work through them.

Me (smiling): Me too. So! Shall we get up and start our day?

Child: Breakfast! Let’s eat!