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Monday, September 16, 2013

Grace, The Future Is Yours

The type of daughter I want to raise is strong. She's independent and outgoing, but knows how to be caring and considerate. She is confident, fearless and joyful.
My sweet Grace, the future is all yours. 
I recently read an article and watched a commercial that truly made me think about how I want to raise my daughter. The article talked about giving praise to your children. College athletes were asked what their parents said that made them feel great... the overwhelming response: 'I love to watch you play.' 

Read the whole article, "6 Words You Should Say Today."

My sister and I grew up doing swim team, playing basketball, volleyball, tennis and soccer. We were also Girl Scouts and collected tree frogs. My parents were supportive of our choices and could always be found cheering us on in the stands- home games and away games. For me, one of the greatest things about playing sports was the bond it created between my Dad and I. I  believe he truly loved to watch us play!
Senior Night for the Golden Sierra Grizzly Varsity Volleyball Team, 2003
I know I was lucky to have such supportive parents. That isn't always the case. There are so many nightmare sports parents. That's why I loved this article. It focused on connecting with your kids over something they enjoy. Instead of all of the added pressure parents place on their kids, let's just tell our kids/husbands/friends how happy they make our hearts. Ah-mazing! 

The commercial I recently watched is for GoldieBlox toys and features new lyrics and an empowering message for girls to the famous Queen song. The founder is fighting to get their building toys into the pink-filled aisles of Toys 'R' Us. I like the message and hope that my daughter will have endless possibilities to explore her interests without gender constraints. However, I question whether boys and girls need gender-specific toys. Does everything have to be pink or blue? At least the toy market is expanding and parents are catering more to their children's interests than to the norms of society.



What do you think? 

2 comments:

  1. I think Grace is everything you described in the first three sentences and more. You have raised one amazing daughter who will be disrupting the pink aisle every chance she gets! I love that commercial.

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    1. Fingers crossed, Laurel! I feel like I still have a lot more raising to do! Miss you! (At least miss Mary has her big brother to look out for her, too.)

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