Tiania Haneline from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and her daughter, 3-year-old Scarlett Smith, are trending on social media for their daily affirmations of “Jesus Loves Me.”
Instilling confidence in God’s word
“People are going to look at her as a black woman,” Haneline said, “They’re not going to see her as a mixed-race woman.”
“Instilling that, ‘I love my brown skin, I am beautiful, my curls are beautiful,’ I just want to instill that in her. So whenever she does get called names, because I know she’s going to, that it’s not going to bother her.”
Haneline is sharing videos of her reciting affirmations with Scarlett as she’s doing her hair or walking along. Scarlett repeats various phrases, including “I am beautiful,” “I am a good friend,” “I love my hair,” “I am loved,” “I love my brown skin,” “I am worthy” and “Jesus loves me.”
“Affirmations with Scarlett while I was doing her hair!” she posted on Facebook. “Had to throw that Jesus loves me in there twice!”
Affirmations with Scarlett while I was doing her hair! Had to throw that Jesus loves me in there twice! ♀️ #affirmations #curlygirl
Posted by Tiania Haneline on Wednesday, July 15, 2020
Building her faith
Scarlett is still very young and might not understand all the implications of the phrases she’s internalizing, but she will one day — and it’s already giving her strength.
“You literally wouldn’t think that she gets it,” Haneline said. “But the confidence I feel like she is building it herself — like looking in the mirror and just having this fierceness about her.”
Scarlett has not only recited the affirmations; she’s also extended them to others when she thinks they need encouragement. “She will affirm other people, so she’ll tell me, ‘Mommy, you’re so beautiful, I’m so proud of you.’ Like it’s crazy,” Haneline said.
“I feel even at this early age of only being three and just seeing her confidence, I can just imagine what it will be when she gets older.”
this little girl is about to be the most confident one in the room!
special thanks to:
IG: @scarlettgray143
TikTok: @scarlettgray143Posted by Cocoa Butter on Tuesday, July 21, 2020
A blessing to many
Aside from building their bond and instilling confidence in her daughter, Haneline’s videos have been a blessing to many viewers.
“I’ve had so many teenagers and even adult women that have said, ‘I wish so much my parents would have done this for me when I was little. I wouldn’t hate myself or I wouldn’t hate my hair. I wouldn’t hate my brown skin.’”
“For them to say that to me really makes me feel like I’m doing the right thing.”
