Gutsy girls skateboard, climb trees, clamber around, fall down, scrape their knees, get right back up — and grow up to be brave women (via).
This really challenged me. With two girls, both with very different personalities, these . . . truths, are appropriate.
Eden is extremely timid by nature, shy, and sensitive. She holds hurts longer than the other two kids and needs longer to work through her frustrations. Her spirit is gentle. She also loves adventures, camping, and exploring, just like her Mom. My challenge for her, then, is to encourage the pushing of the boundaries, to build her confidence, and to provide opportunities where she can succeed (and fail) outside her comfort zone. Because she will need the push.
Zion will need the leash. She has little fear, runs without worry, and jumps without asking. She is often covered in mud and scrapes, with little twigs stuck in her head of curls, and I don't want to squash this fearlessness. For her, my task is to help guide, to provide avenues where she can pursue it with limited danger (the risk assessment Caroline mentioned), so as to encourage it and grow it. Her concept of girl has no limitations, and I want to keep it that way. I want her to be #likeagirl.
Brave, courageous, adventurous. These are what I want my girls to be. But also honest, sincere, kind, and loyal. I want them to be women of character. Women of humility and integrity.
Woman worthy of the title.
Caroline Paul is an American writer of fiction and non-fiction. She was raised in Connecticut, and educated in journalism and documentary film at Stanford University (via).
Caroline has published four books:
The Gutsy Girl: Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure
Lost Cat: A Trust Story of Love, Desperation, and GPS Technology
For more on . . .
Raising Daughters : TED Talks : On Parenting