We teach our daughter that she can be whoever she wants to be.
We teach our sons the same. That their sister can be whoever she wants to be.
If she wants to be amazing at math. She’ll have to work hard. But math is for girls just as it is for boys.
If she wants to be a kick-ass volleyball player. She’ll have to work hard. But volleyball is for girls just as it is for boys.
If she wants to be a professor. Or a doctor. Or a sports trainer. Or an artist. Or a journalist. Or a CEO. Or … She’ll have to try and work hard. But any position, is for girls just as it is for boys.
With International Women’s Day upon us, there are ads and news articles about the day. About what it means to break the glass ceiling. About what is a glass ceiling and why it needs breaking in the first place. Our dinner conversations and car ride chats are now about what the kids think needs to be done to ensure an inclusive and equitable environment. To create a gender equal world.
We teach our boys that they can be whoever they want to be.
They’ll have to try and work hard but whatever they choose is a possibility for boys and girls.
We also teach our boys that their sister can be whoever she wants to be.
Because our daughter’s self-confidence and belief in herself won’t be enough if the society in which she lives isn’t made up of people who believe she can do it.
She. Can. Do. It.
Our daughter is being raised to believe in herself in whatever she does.
She is in advanced math and plays in two sports leagues.
She embraces her dyslexia and is a good student.
She is an amazing person and a great friend.
She plays like a girl. She studies like a girl. She kicks butt like a girl.
She is proactive. She tries new things. She fails. She tries again.
She doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up. Thank goodness.
We don’t ask her to make that decision now.
She knows that she can be and do whatever she wants – as long as she tries. And if someone tells her something is not for girls to do, she’ll have her say. Her brothers will have their say -- in her favor-- too.
