In June 2016 mom and blogger Dominique Davis from England posted a picture on Instagram of herself with her two young daughters, 10-year-old Amelia and three-year old Penny, wearing matching striped shirts with their hair in identical updos. The adorable image quickly garnered 16,000 likes from her followers. From there the idea for a weekly project, aptly named All That Is Three, developed: the creation of a series of beautiful, natural, and extremely sweet snaps of mom and her mini-mes with dad on the other side of the camera lens—and it only takes around five minutes every Sunday!
Motherhood defined in 34 seconds (VIDEO)
Davis, who has a lifestyle blog called All That Is She, seems to capture the simplistic family lifestyle championed by the Danes: the art of ‘hygge,‘ or coziness, where you take real pleasure in acknowledging each moment in life and making it meaningful. The photos are genuine, there’s no make-up, no expensive designer gear, just the most beautiful accessory of all: a smile … or the occasional funny grimace from little Penny. And Davis doesn’t only see this as a moment for mom and her daughters to bond, she has also managed to teach the girls some worthy life lessons:
Mom really is a role-model to look up to
This is the very first image in the collection. From it, moms can learn just how much our young daughters really admire us and want to be like us. And as moms we have to be responsible for passing on a positive body image. Dominique took the time to explain her thoughts on this tricky job: “I hope that this project teaches them [Amelia and Penny] to see that it doesn’t matter what you wear, what you look like, or any other superficial traits, if you’re happy, having fun and have confidence in yourself and your own decisions, then that’s all that matters.” So when Dominique dressed three-year-old Penny in a classic striped top matching her own, Amelia appeared wearing one equally similar. The three girls laughed providing a perfect photo opportunity, and from there a family tradition was borne.
The joy in simplicity
This picture is so reminiscent of Little House on the Prairie, there’s so much to love! The linen long-sleeved dresses of yesteryear topped with a Swiss braid updo makes us want to run in the fields, gather flowers, and lie on a blanket with a good book. Totally hyggelicious …
We all get to sparkle
Although dressed in similar coats, with hair left down, the sparkles the girls and their mom are holding also tell us a different story: everybody has something in them that shines out, whether it’s a smile that hides a loving nature, or a cheeky grin that shows our mischievous side, we just need to nurture this.
The pleasures of the great outdoors
Being outside on a winter’s day can be exhilarating, but top your outing with that family favorite, the toasted marshmallow, it’s enough to make us burst with gratitude. (And you can’t help but love that Penny couldn’t resist a little bite mid-shoot!)
Share a hobby
Dominique said that the project has been a bonding experience in surprising ways: “Amelia now sees all the behind-the-scenes action into what it takes to create a good photograph – from the lighting, the camera, the ideas, to the final editing process. And now because of it, she has taken a keen interest in photography and will look for the beauty in the mundane.” And as for little Penny, well she “loves to entertain, so messing around in front of the camera and then being able to look back on all of her funny faces, really makes her giggle.” They try to live the motto: a family that plays together, grows together.
Ditch the screens
Dominique explained that, “Amelia is now at an age where the lure of the iPad and sitting in her room 24/7 is beginning to kick in, so it’s really hard as a mother to find the right balance.” Ah, that familiar issue so many of us have with our kids. “Yes, you want her to be able to relate to what her friends are doing, but on the other hand, we don’t want imagination, creativity and childhood being zapped away by an electronic device. These photos have been a great way to encourage her to put the iPad down, leave her bedroom, get together as a family and conjure up new ideas.” And looking at this atmospheric image it seems to be working:
It’s great to act like a kid … with your kids
Sometimes with all the stresses of daily life we forget to just laugh. Yep, just stick a cut-out funny mouth on top of your own and you’ll be sure to remember that life doesn’t always need to be taken so seriously.
Guide your daughters along the right path
Whenever we take our children by the hand they place all their confidence in us to lead them to the right destination. Use this trust to show them the right path, and later in life if ever they stray they’ll know who to turn to.
With age comes bigger responsibilities
As we get older greater things are expected of us, whether it’s learning to read alone, or learning how to change a tire; with the right encouragement we’ll get to achieve these expectations, and maybe even surpass them!
Fruit is good for you!
A basic, but fundamental lesson: get good eating habits from the start. Although in this particular image extra bonus points for managing to keep those shirts whiter than white, which reminds us, moms are great at removing stains!
Read the way
Books, books, and more books, we know how beneficial it is to read to our kids and we can’t get enough of them for curious minds. OK, the girls might not be actually reading these more traditional volumes but just being around books and listening to mom read will pique a child’s interest.
Demonstrate to educate
How many kids get to play with their breakfast before it reaches the table? Here Dominique is showing the girls the crucial ingredient to a favorite family breakfast cereal, Weetabix. The different sized bushels of wheat are a great reminder of what wonders we can create from Mother Nature.
The biggest surprise from the project is in how social media can actually take us away from the digital world and remind us of all that is good in our lives. If you like Dominique’s work, take a look at her Instagram page, or have a look at her blog at All That Is She. Warning: they’ll be some serious styles you’ll just have to copy!
And today we celebrate...