A Girl’s First Cheering Section-Her Dad
Jacqui Fishman
“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.
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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.
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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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