"I Am Strong!" — A Reminder for Little Hands and Tired Mothers Alike
"Lola Olajide, founder of mindful colouring book brand Ruthy Michaels, smiling and holding two colouring markers against an orange background — self-care and mindfulness colouring for busy mums and caregivers."
There's a page in our I Can Do This affirmation colouring collection with just three words on it: I am Strong. A bunny astronaut floats among stars and planets, and underneath, a child is meant to pick up a pencil and quietly, colour by colour, tell themselves something true.
It's designed for children. But if you're a mother reading this, I'd guess those three words landed somewhere in you too.
Why "strong" matters for children
Children don't always have the words for what they're feeling — the nerves before a spelling test, the wobble when a friendship feels shaky, the frustration of not getting something right the first time. Colouring an affirmation gives them a way to sit with those feelings without needing to explain them. By the time the last star is filled in, "I am strong" isn't just something they read. It's something their hands helped make true.
Why it matters for you too
Here's the part we don't say enough: mothers need this exact same reminder, probably more often than we admit.
There are moments — the school run running late, the third meltdown before 9am, the quiet 11pm doubt about whether you're doing any of this right — where "strong" is the last word you'd use to describe yourself. Overwhelmed, maybe. Doubting yourself, certainly. Strong doesn't always feel true in that moment.
But strength was never about feeling unshakeable. It's showing up again after the hard morning. It's the fact that you're still here, still trying, still caring enough to want better — for them and for yourself.
A small practice, not another task
You don't need your own colouring page to borrow this one. Next time you're sitting beside your child while they colour theirs, let yourself colour a corner of it too — a star, a planet, anything. Say the words quietly while you do it. Not as an affirmation for them to hear, but one you actually need.
Self-care doesn't have to be separate from parenting. Sometimes it's sitting in the same chair, colouring the same page, and letting the same three words do their quiet work on both of you.
I am strong. Some days you'll believe it instantly. Other days, colouring it in is how you get there.
