A beautifully articulated story. As the mother of a strong-willed girl, I have struggled mightily with the balance of needing her to listen and encouraging her freedom to express herself. I wrote about this on Medium in a story called I Don't Want My Daughter to Be a Good Girl. Ultimately I love and respect her strong will and free spirit, and I know it will serve her well, particularly as a female of color. And of course, sometimes I just need her to put away her damn shoes the first time I ask!