Show Your Individuality & Win a Pittsburgh Staycation Heather Hopson May 13, 2013 Uncategorized 12 Comments My family has always been unique. We probably have a few black sheep in our bunch. Growing up, there were only two Hopson’s listed in Pittsburgh’s White Pages–one was my dad; the other my grandfather. My paternal grandparents met and married at age 16. They stayed together until death did them part, and over the 65 years of marital bliss, they welcomed 15 children and more than 30 children into their home and their hearts. Our family is filled with bakers and bouncers, moms and managers, contractors and childcare workers. My parents encouraged my sister and I to discover our own individuality–even if that meant joining and quitting teams, bands and dance schools. We eventually found our place. I went on to become a television news reporter who traveled the world, and my sister is leading a sweet life as the owner of a baking business called The Cupcake Crew. Now that I’m a mom myself, I want my daughter to embrace her individuality as well–even if she marches to the beat of her own drum. Here’s what makes her absolutely, incredibly unique. Hey DFTM Fam–How is your family/child unique? Share your story by entering UPMC Health Plan’s Individuality Facebook Contest, and you could win a fun and fabulous Pittsburgh Staycation. Prize Pack Includes: A weekend stay at a top downtown Pittsburgh hotel A Wild Encounter, behind-the-scenes experience at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium Dinner at a great downtown restaurant Personal tour of the Senator John Heinz History Center Pittsburgh Sports Prize Pack They had me at hotel… Disclosure: I was contacted by UPMC Health Plan to write a sponsored story about the Individuality Contest. I am being compensated in some form for my work. All opinions in this article are my own. 12 Responses Brandi May 13, 2013 My daughter is a fantastic expressive dancer! She has more grace than any other 4 year old I’ve ever met…and I used to be a preschool teacher! Reply Kim May 13, 2013 What a great prize for Pittsburgh families! Each of us is unique, but it’s interesting how our society encourages more of a group think mentality. Teaching our children to embrace what’s special about them early on is a wonderful thing and might even help them to figure out more quickly how they can best use their gifts to serve the world and live a fulfilled life. My son has always been fiercely independent and unafraid to be different or go against the crowd–in that way he has taught me a lot about how to embrace my own individuality. He is unique in that he gets curious about things that other people might just dismiss, and is always trying to figure out how things work or come to fruition–the brain of a scientist! Reply firsttimemom May 18, 2013 With your love and support, I am positive he will be a successful scientist! He may even invent something someday to make moms lives easier! 🙂 Reply Christine May 13, 2013 All three of mine have such different/unique personalities but they each have a bit of mommy and daddy in them. My son’s memory is impeccable. We tell him something once, and he’ll bring it up months later. My 3 yr old has got some beautiful confidence. She is so bold and sure of herself even at 3. My almost 2 yr old is absolutely fearless. She is our mini comedian and keeps us cracking up laughing. Reply Donnie May 14, 2013 My family is unique because we try as much as possible to do things we’ve never done. We read books regularly together, we listen to famous speeches and we make ourselves little movie critics. Reply firsttimemom May 18, 2013 Those things will quickly become family traditions, which will be passed on from generation to generation! Reply Arelis Cintron May 15, 2013 That is awesome, Having your daughter try new things to find what she’ll love is something that parents don’t necessarily understand. There are many things that I wanted to try in my youth, and I wasn’t given permission to do so. Some of those very things are still on my list of things to do; Like fly a plane or a helicopter. It’s also a great thing not to force our children to stay with something that they don’t like. Reply firsttimemom May 18, 2013 You can still take a class Arelis! At the very least, to fly a simulated one:) Never to late! Reply Janeane Davis May 17, 2013 I think it is hugely important for people to let their children be individuals. I see this even more with my twins. People are always shocked at how different they are, but each child is a person, and individual and that individuality should be encouraged. Reply firsttimemom May 18, 2013 So true! Just because they look alike doesn’t mean they act alike. The twins I know all have opposite personalities! Reply DaintyLady May 24, 2013 My daughter is unique because she is going to be a surgeon/singer/track star when she grows up! On any given day you can caught her running around our home with her stethoscope around her necking singing a little tune all of her own. She’s a joy and she keeps a smile on our faces daily. There is no one else like our little Love. Reply firsttimemom June 15, 2013 So sweet! She’s a smart girl and will be a successful adult I’m sure, very talented! Reply Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email.Δ
Brandi May 13, 2013 My daughter is a fantastic expressive dancer! She has more grace than any other 4 year old I’ve ever met…and I used to be a preschool teacher! Reply
Kim May 13, 2013 What a great prize for Pittsburgh families! Each of us is unique, but it’s interesting how our society encourages more of a group think mentality. Teaching our children to embrace what’s special about them early on is a wonderful thing and might even help them to figure out more quickly how they can best use their gifts to serve the world and live a fulfilled life. My son has always been fiercely independent and unafraid to be different or go against the crowd–in that way he has taught me a lot about how to embrace my own individuality. He is unique in that he gets curious about things that other people might just dismiss, and is always trying to figure out how things work or come to fruition–the brain of a scientist! Reply
firsttimemom May 18, 2013 With your love and support, I am positive he will be a successful scientist! He may even invent something someday to make moms lives easier! 🙂 Reply
Christine May 13, 2013 All three of mine have such different/unique personalities but they each have a bit of mommy and daddy in them. My son’s memory is impeccable. We tell him something once, and he’ll bring it up months later. My 3 yr old has got some beautiful confidence. She is so bold and sure of herself even at 3. My almost 2 yr old is absolutely fearless. She is our mini comedian and keeps us cracking up laughing. Reply
Donnie May 14, 2013 My family is unique because we try as much as possible to do things we’ve never done. We read books regularly together, we listen to famous speeches and we make ourselves little movie critics. Reply
firsttimemom May 18, 2013 Those things will quickly become family traditions, which will be passed on from generation to generation! Reply
Arelis Cintron May 15, 2013 That is awesome, Having your daughter try new things to find what she’ll love is something that parents don’t necessarily understand. There are many things that I wanted to try in my youth, and I wasn’t given permission to do so. Some of those very things are still on my list of things to do; Like fly a plane or a helicopter. It’s also a great thing not to force our children to stay with something that they don’t like. Reply
firsttimemom May 18, 2013 You can still take a class Arelis! At the very least, to fly a simulated one:) Never to late! Reply
Janeane Davis May 17, 2013 I think it is hugely important for people to let their children be individuals. I see this even more with my twins. People are always shocked at how different they are, but each child is a person, and individual and that individuality should be encouraged. Reply
firsttimemom May 18, 2013 So true! Just because they look alike doesn’t mean they act alike. The twins I know all have opposite personalities! Reply
DaintyLady May 24, 2013 My daughter is unique because she is going to be a surgeon/singer/track star when she grows up! On any given day you can caught her running around our home with her stethoscope around her necking singing a little tune all of her own. She’s a joy and she keeps a smile on our faces daily. There is no one else like our little Love. Reply
firsttimemom June 15, 2013 So sweet! She’s a smart girl and will be a successful adult I’m sure, very talented! Reply