One thing every mom wants

What does every mother want in life?

Besides peace, quiet and the occasional chance to go to the bathroom by themselves, they want their children to be happy. They also want their children to grow up independent, strong and self-confident. Moms with young daughters especially feel the need to teach their daughters at a very young age that they are just as strong and just as courageous as their male counterparts.

Girls can do anything.

When my 4 year old daughter came home from preschool telling me she couldn’t wear a certain color because “that’s a boy color” or she couldn’t play with certain toys because they were “boy toys”, it got me thinking that society and our own communities have put a limitation on a girls belief in herself at a very young age. They may not be encouraging her, sometimes unknowingly, to believe that she is equal to the boys. That because she is a girl she has to somehow be softer, like pastel colors on a spring dress.

Self-confidence needs to be nurtured.

Look, I didn’t grow up the most confident person. I was very shy and always doubted myself. Sometimes I still do. I don’t want my daughter to grow up feeling she can’t do something before she even tries because it is engraved in her brain it’s only for boys. We know our children are not going to be successful at everything. That’s just the truth. But, they should have the confidence in themselves to think they will be.

It should be our duty as mothers to young girls to build their confidence, teach them self-worth and independence.

And for goodness sake, let them be themselves. I know this last one is hard. I feel the stares in the face painting line when my daughter rather have a skull painted on her face then a butterfly. It’s hard to hold myself back from asking her “wouldn’t your rather have a flower or something?”. And when she adamantly wanted to be a skeleton for Halloween instead of a Disney Princess character I knew I would be dodging the stares. But, guess what, by letting her express herself it builds her confidence and lets her know her decisions are valid ones. And, who cares what others think anyway.

Moms, let’s help our daughters grow into the best version of themselves.

Let’s help them become confident and strong women. And we don’t have to do this alone. There are some really inspiring websites and organizations for girls that give them the role models they need and the resources they deserve. Here a few of my personal favorites:

• Girls, Inc. - they work to “inspire all girls to be strong, brave and bold”. Girls, Inc. is an non-profit organization that provides a safe environment for girls to help them reach full potential both academically and emotionally. Trained staff and volunteers, along with research based programs, mentor girls and create lasting relationships. You can find a Girls, Inc. program near you.
• A Mighty Girl - they have a complete offering of books, toys, and movies to inspire girls to be smart and courageous. They are active on social media and post great content. Sign Up for their newsletter, always great articles to get you inspired.
• Girls Who Code - they are a national non-profit organization that provides clubs and programs with the mission to close the gender gap in technology. They offer free programs, sisterhood and mentorship to young girls interested in technology and engineering. Their summer immersion program partners with tech companies so girls can get exposure to tech jobs. Find a location of a club or program near you.
• Girl Scouts - a non-profit organization with the mission “girl scouting builds girls courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place”. Founded in 1912, Girl Scouts of the US has over 2 million members. They believe in the power of girls and that every girl can do something amazing. Girl Scouts is all about discovering yourself and talents, connecting with others and your community, and taking action to make the world a better place.

There are many more wonderful organizations out there focusing on encouraging, mentoring and uplifting girls to become the best they can be. What are some of your favs?

This article was previously published on www.ishinemyway.com