MamaCentric

When we learned that our third baby was a girl, my initial reaction was trepidation. All I had ever known was mothering boys. (I’ve blogged a little about that here.) I was filled with intricate emotions throughout my pregnancy, but what kept me awake in the night was an urgency to determine how I would empower my daughter to lead a courageous life.

Of course, now that Little L has come into our world, raising her to be confidently courageous isn’t as intimidating as it once seemed. Guiding her has been instinctual, as most things in parenthood seem to work out. And while I am intentional in the manner that I mother her (and my boys, for that matter), I’ve discovered that I am just one of a multitude of mamas who are hard at work at breaking down barriers and bringing up the next generation of awesome, strong girls.

As Little L’s first birthday approached, I reflected upon her monumental growth. I thought about how she will blossom over the next year. She will continue to come into her own with a personality that will shine even more brightly.

And, unfortunately, the subtle messages that society sends to little girls, those that dictate how they should play, appear, and behave, will begin to try to infiltrate her precious, young mind, threatening to accost the unique sense of self that {I believe} babies are born with.

But we do not have acquiesce to this limiting definition of femininity.

I am certain that mothers can equip their daughters to become anything they set their minds to. And the wonderful news is that we aren’t alone in this endeavor; there are some amazingly talented mama makers on a mission to assist us.

When I chose this Princess Awesome Rockets Snapsuit Dress as a first birthday gift for our Little L, I instantly fell in love with its twirly skirt adorned with rockets taking  flight. There is no shortage of imaginative astronaut play in our home, and my hope is that Little L will grow up to be included in her brothers’ play should she chose to participate. 

Because, the truth is, I don’t care if Little L grows up wanting to dig in the dirt while playing with our dinosaur collection. I won’t mind if she wants to wear the frilliest princess dress while reading story books before bedtime. I just want to be sure to instill in her that these things are not mutually exclusive.

Girls can marvel at fossils while wearing their favorite tiara.

Girls can love coding and love playing dress up.

Girls can develop a hunger for knowledge while delighting in all things sparkly. 

Or, girls can forgo the glitter altogether and opt for mud.

The bottom line is, a girl can be anything she sets her mind to, just as a boy can, and all of our children deserve equal opportunities to explore each of their passions and interests. 

Which is why I have fallen in love with Princess Awesome, quality clothing designed with all of this in mind. Princess Awesome honors the fact that our daughters have varied interests, from robots to trains to pirates, and makes choosing clothing that highlights their interests easily accessible –which, moms know, is no easy feat when shopping in the girls’ department.

And while our little girls are certainly more than pretty little things in pink, Princess Awesome believes it is okay to be a princess in a twirly skirt, too, if that is what sparks their imagination. A princess can grow up to study rocket science, after all.

So what can we as moms do to ensure that we are empowering our daughters to live confidently and courageously? (Along with choosing clothing that isn’t limiting, of course.)

1O WAYS TO RAISE A CONFIDENT & COURAGEOUS DAUGHTER

1. Pay attention to her interests and provide opportunities to explore them.
2. Offer a variety of toys to play with, being mindful not to limit her options.
3. Expose her to strong, female role models in books, media, and in person.
4. Compliment her personality traits, not just her outfit.
5. Remind her that dressing up is fun, but true beauty shimmers from within.
6. Encourage her to try new things, even when they are intimidating.
7. Actively listen to what she has to say; this teaches her to voice her opinions and share her ideas.
8. Nurture her curiosity and feed her love for learning.
9. Work hard to dispel the myth that “boys will be boys,” and be sure that she knows that her body deserves to be respected.
10. Live your own life confidently. You are her greatest example.

*Bonus tip: Head on over to Princess Awesome to shop their 2016 Cyber Monday sale!!

If you have a budding paleontologist, science whiz, or automobile obsessed little girl, she will love the print on her Princess Awesome dress! The two moms who founded Princess Awesome knew that girls deserved awesome clothing, too, and are generously offering their amazing apparel at 20% off today! And I might have heard that two, new styles are being introduced today, too… I can’t wait!!

This post was sponsored by Princess Awesome, yet, as always, all opinions are my own.