This Girl Can! Slay Her Own Dragons-Thanks Daddy!
“It’s up to us to say to our daughters, don’t ever let images on TV tell you what you are worth, because I expect you to dream without limit and reach for those goals.”
~Barack Obama
We talk so often about the importance of girls having role models to look to, and to see that there are women who were once girls just like them, who followed their dreams. We want every girl to know about women’s stories from history and today. We want her to learn about the women who kicked open doors so that now she can walk through and pursue her own paths and maybe even kick some of her own doors open for other girls to follow.
For every girl, however, it is equally important for her to know to her core that she has a cheering squad right alongside her as she makes her journey. She needs to look around and see the people who love her, who believe in her, and who always help her to pick herself up, dust herself off, and get right back in that race. Sound familiar?
If you are lucky enough, this cheering section starts with your Dad. For a girl, a Dad can be a hero, but he is also her foundation. Her Dad can be her greatest ally, coach, teacher…Her Dad is the one who slays the dragons under the bed, and the one who instills in her a sense that she can be brave! There is nothing she cannot do, and she can in fact slay her own dragons when she needs to. And when she falls, and she will, he is there to put a band-aid on, help her regain her footing, and ensure that she doesn’t quit.
While ensuring that every girl has access to mentors who can show her the way and help build her confidence, we need to be sure that we are also looking to the men and boys in her life. When we talk about gender equity, we cannot exclude the men and boys in a girl’s world out of that very important conversation.
For a girl to believe in her own power, she needs to see and to know that the men and boys in her life believe in her too. Knowing they are there for her journey and stand with her as she pushes her walls and grows her confidence is essential to holding on to that confidence as she grows and tests her powers.
A girl’s Dad is also a model, the model of what a man can and should be for her, supporting, listening, encouraging, and loving. Knowing she can try her wings with a safe landing can start with her Dad. Understanding the positive and supporting role a man can, and should have, in her life begins with her Dad as well. The relationship a daughter has with her Dad helps her to gain a sense of empowerment from the love and encouragement she receives. She will be rooted in the knowledge that she is strong, she is smart, and she can do anything! She will carry the confidence to not only use her mind but also speak her mind. She will grow to be independent and walk her own path, knowing that if she encounters obstacles or roadblocks, she can overcome them. This can all start with a Dad. A Dad who knows that every girl can and should have the same opportunities as the boys on the field, a Dad who sets the bar, the gold standard, for how girls view the role men should have in their lives.
“She did not stand alone, but what stood behind her, the most potent moral force in her life, was the love of her father.”
~ Harper Lee
While every man a girl encounters and interacts with in her journey may not always provide or demonstrate the same attitude and positive support as her Dad, a Dad instills tools on how to handle the nay-sayers. With confidence and a core belief that she belongs in the room, she can handle her own emotions in situations of disrespect and conquer those dragons who want to dismiss her simply because she is a girl.
“Being a daddy’s girl is like having permanent armor for the rest of your life.”
~ Marinela Reka
The term “Daddy’s Girl” very often has negative connotations, but it shouldn’t. It doesn’t matter if you are your Dad’s Princess, that just means he has given you the power to be, to go forward with strength, and confidence, and to believe in your own power to follow your dreams.
A girl’s Dad is the one who leaves his daughter a gift to be opened whenever she needs it, long after he is gone...the gift that she is loved, the gift that there is always someone who believes in her, the gift that helps her stand on her own feet and move forward knowing This Girl Can! Change the World.
A Girl’s First Cheering Section-Her Dad
“It’s up to us to say to our daughters, don’t ever let images on TV tell you what you are worth, because I expect you to dream without limit and reach for those goals.
”
We talk so often about the importance of girls having role models to look to, to see that there are girls just like them following their dreams, that there are women who are kicking open doors every day so that they can follow them and hopefully kick some of their own doors open.
It is equally important for girls to know to their core that they have a cheering squad, the people who love them, who believe in them, and who always help them to pick themselves up, dust themselves off and get right back in that race. Sound familiar? If you are lucky enough this cheering section starts with your Dad. A Dad for a girl can be a hero, but he is also her foundation. Her Dad can be her greatest ally, her mentor, the one who slays the dragons under the bed, and the one who instills a sense that there is nothing she cannot do. And when she falls, and she will, he is there to make sure she doesn’t quit. A girl’s Dad is also her model, the model of what a man can and should be for her and to her-supporting, listening, encouraging, loving. Knowing she is safe and she feels grounded and nurtured can start with her Dad. Understanding the role a man can and should have in her life, that begins with her Dad too. The relationship a daughter has with her Dad helps her to gain a sense of empowerment from the love and the encouragement she receives. She will be rooted in the knowledge that she is strong, she is smart and she can do anything! She will carry the confidence to not only use her mind but speak her mind. She will grow to be independent and walk her own path without obstacles. This can all start with a Dad.
“She did not stand alone, but what stood behind her, the most potent moral force in her life, was the love of her father.
”
As a girl grows up the support from her Dad and the relationship she has with her Dad, impacts not only her sense of self but also her vision of what her life can be and the expectations for how the men in her life will and should treat her. A Dad is the one who leaves his daughter a gift to be opened whenever she needs it, long after he is gone...the gift that she is loved, the gift that there is always someone who believes in her, the gift that helps her stand on her own feet and take on the world.
The term “Daddy’s Girl” very often has negative connotations, but it shouldn’t. It doesn’t matter if you are your Dad’s Princess, that just means he has given you the power to be, to go forward with strength, and to believe that Yes! This Girl Can!...and she will!
We love these great books to read with your Dad. For more Father /Daughter Book Ideas Visit A Mighty Girl!
“Being a daddy’s girl is like having permanent armor for the rest of your life.”
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This Girl Can!...and She Did! Women Belong! Thanks to Ruth Bader Ginsburg
“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.”
Had she never been nominated to the highest court Ruth Bader Ginsburg would certainly be remembered as a single indomitable force who dedicated her life to championing women's fight for equality, and society's road toward equal justice. At every point in her life she was pushed on closed doors in her quiet, often shy, demeanor which left many having never seen her coming! She left an unparalleled legacy of justice and equality with groundbreaking cases that changed the legal landscape and this country. She is responsible for changing women's legal rights and access, but Ruth Bader Ginsburg did so much more, for every woman, for every little girl, for everyone who has ever been told-"sorry, this isn't your door" she blazed a trail in her demure yet tough as nails way- “Women belong,” she said, “ in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.” and she dedicated her work and her life to ensuring just that.
“We should not be held back from pursuing our full talents, from contributing what we could contribute to society, because we fit into a certain mold––because we belong to a group that historically has been the object of discrimination.”
Ruth Bader Ginsburg fought in every corner of her life with a steely determination. She said that starting out she had three strikes against her-she was Jewish, a Woman , and a Mother-all of which meant doors that swung open for men with far less ability were not even available to be seen for her. Cancer would be an incessant presence throughout, from her Mother, to her cherished Marty, to her own numerous private battles... but nothing, not even cancer, stopped her-she worked and battled through pain and loss with a laced glove iron hand and will. She found great joy in her Notorious RBG fame and how amazing that so many little girls would have such an icon to emulate. In her first ever case as a Supreme Court justice she showed she was not there to just fill a chair but would continue her fight for equality.
In her first ever case as a Supreme Court justice she showed she was not there to just fill a chair but would continue her fight for equality.
"Sex, like race, is a visible, immutable characteristic bearing no necessary relationship to ability.
Sex, like race, has been made the basis for unjustified or at least unproved assumptions, concerning an individual’s potential to perform or to contribute to society…
These distinctions have a common effect: They help keep woman in her place, a place inferior to that occupied by men in our society."
In conclusion Justice Ginsburg quoted Sara Grimke:
"I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks."
She showed that it simply didn't matter that you were born a woman-gender was irrelevant and she worked to her last days to ensure that justice for everyone would be secure. She simply changed how society is for American women, full stop. She was a revolutionary at every step of her life who created a revolution, so may her memory be just that, a revolution that fulfills her last wish and in her death may she blaze one last irrevocable trail again for us all. Thank You Justice Ginsburg.
“In my life, what I find most satisfying is that I was part of a movement that made life better, not just for women … gender discrimination is bad for everyone.”
“I do think that I was born under a very bright star...When you think about — the world has changed really in what women are doing. I went to law school when women were less than 3% of lawyers in the country; today, they are 50%. I never had a woman teacher in college or in law school. The changes have been enormous. And they’ve just — they’ve gone much too far [to be] going back.”
This Girl Can Vote!...and She Will
This summer we celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment. Thanks to the courage and determination of so many women over 70 years of protest and perseverance the constitution was amended to ensure that the right to vote cannot be denied on account of sex. It would be another five decades before the vote was secured for ALL,
and the fight continues, but…
This Girl Can Vote!…and She Will!
Learn More About the History of How Women Fought for the Vote
Make a plan to Vote…Register to Vote…Find out about Mail in Voting in your area…Learn about Early Voting in your area. Work to help Get Out the Vote! YOU have the Power to Create Change…Because This Girl Can!
AND if you are not yet old enough to vote YOU can still make a difference!! Get involved in a campaign. Help distribute leaflets. Make phone calls. Join a group that is working for a cause you care about. Get involved in your school’s campaigns and efforts, and learn how YOU can help to organize change! Learn about how an election works, how government works and how policy impacts YOUR community and YOUR life! and why it is important to be informed and be engaged.
Learn More about How You Can! IGNITE the Vote!, Get involved, Become a Leader and Help Create Change! from our Friends at
“I find hope. I think a lot about the younger generation growing up right now, about how they’re seeing just how fragile even the best-laid plans can be. In this tumultuous period.... But if you live by foundational truths—like honesty, compassion, decency—and if you channel your frustration into our democracy with your vote and your voice, you can find your true north even in times of crisis...Not many people want someone else making their decisions for them, especially when that person might not see the world the same way as they do. That’s what happens when you don’t vote: You are giving away your power to someone else—someone who doesn’t see the world the same as you. You’re letting them make some really key decisions about the way you live.... But when we all vote, in all elections, we get the kind of responsive leadership that speaks for our families and our communities.”