5 Messages to My Daughters on International Women’s Day March 8, 2017 12:18 1 Comment

 
On March 8, we celebrate International Women’s Day, a time to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and girls. There’s still a lot of work to be done on gender equality, which is why this year’s theme, Be Bold for Change, is so important. Here are five messages we can share with our daughters to help build their self-esteem and empowerment. Go girls!		  


1. You Be You. Celebrate your own uniqueness instead of trying fit into a group or match up with someone else. There are always people ahead of and behind you. Be yourself and strive to be a bit better at that every day.

2. Respect Others. Our words can tear people down, or build people up. Which one would you rather do? We need to teach girls how to be respectful with their words, and at the same time, to be powerful listeners as well as speakers.

3. It’s Okay To Disagree. Model for your daughter that it’s actually a good thing to debate, have different points of view and negotiate—respectfully, of course. She’ll need to do this, especially with her peers. 

4. You Can Do Anything. Read, view movies or visit a museum to learn more about accomplished women from the past, and their challenges. Pursue relationships women who inspire you and challenge you today.

5. Your Voice Counts. Illicit your daughter’s opinion to show her that her views matter. For example, “What did you think of that character on that show?” or “How did that billboard make you feel?” Encourage her to run for class offices—stress that campaigning is great practice, no matter the outcome. Let her fund raise for causes she believes in, or write a letter to someone she admires.

Our world needs as many smart, savvy young women as we can get!

#internationalwomensday #beboldforchange #women