My daughter is a Fire Baby. Anyone with a Fire Baby knows what I am talking about. But for those of you out there with mellow, perfect children, I am here to enlighten you. To give you a glimpse into my world.

What exactly is a Fire Baby? Well, let’s start by imagining a fire on a cold winters night. Warm and cuddly heat that offers a sense of comfort and safety. Sounds good so far. Now, imagine that fire has legs and prefers running to walking. That basically translates into a happy, yet busy, ball of fire running around your living room. Think non-stop, kinetic energy.

Right now, you are imagining an orange ball of flame with cute little legs circling the couch and the coffee table. But keep in mind, depending on what is fueling a fire determines the heat and ferocity of the flame. So when I say Fire Baby, I am talking about a hot ball of emotion digging through a pile of toys in front of the television.

Fires can be managed with the right tending, environment and fuel. But, as we see during the dry summer months, it only takes the littlest spark to spur a wild fire. Your happy little flame went from warm and cuddly to a fierce ball of emotion in a matter of minutes.

Being the parent of a Fire Baby has taught me the art of mindful response. Like a Smokejumper, I have learned to quickly find the source of this sudden burst and react accordingly. The cause could be something as simple as too much energy on a rainy day (time to go outside, even though we will get soaked) or more intense, such as a meltdown over homework (spurred from a bad day at school).

What does all of this translate into? Passion. I have a very passionate child. Her heart is on her sleeve and I always know where I stand with her. And I know she loves me.

With the right encouragement and direction, I can get my child to be passionate about doing the right thing. It is not going to be easy, but the pay-off will be well worth it.

So, to all you parents of Fire Babies, stay strong, be patient, have that extra cup of coffee and know all your hard work is worth it. No matter how fiery your baby might be on any given day, that baby loves you with an intensity only to be rivaled by flames.