How to Raise Glass Shattering Daughters

I came across the quote, “Teach your daughters to worry less about fitting into glass slippers and more about shattering glass ceilings.” It really spoke to me.

I have two amazing, strong, intelligent, and beautiful daughters. I don’t want them to be held back by any glass ceiling.

Merriam-Webster defines a glass ceiling as “an intangible barrier within a hierarchy that prevents women or minorities from obtaining upper-level positions.”

There’s a lot of talk about glass ceilings, and it is so exciting to be living in a time when women are shattering them right and left.

But it still takes work.

As their mom, I want to do all I can to help encourage my daughters to shatter glass ceilings.

Here are some of the ways I am trying to raise my glass shattering girls.

Embrace STEM

According to AAUW, “Women make up only 28% of the workforce in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and men vastly outnumber women majoring in most STEM fields in college. The gender gaps are particularly high in some of the fastest-growing and highest-paid jobs of the future, like computer science and engineering.”

The best way to show girls they have a place in STEM is to get them started with it while they are young. My girls enjoy STEM toys, have taken STEM classes, and have spent summers in STEM camps.

Boost Their Confidence

According to a study reported by the BBC, “Girls lose faith in their own talents by the age of six.” Yikes! I do not want my girls to ever lose faith in their own talents. I make every effort to tell them how great they are and encourage their unique talents every chance I get.

Introduce Positive Female Role Models

There is no shortage of role models in the world – good and bad. I try to be strategic about introducing my girls to positive female role models. I do so by using real life, history, books, and even movies and television shows.

Teach Them to Know Their Worth

Forbes claims, “Self-worth is a self-evaluative emotional reaction. It’s a feeling of confidence in our abilities and qualities.” And much of our self-worth is defined in early childhood. This means that we, as moms, have a huge role to play in helping our daughters believe in their intrinsic value and worth. My goal is to make them feel known, seen, loved, and valued throughout their lives.

Show Them Women Support Women

If you want your daughters to shatter glass ceilings, you’ve got to teach them to support other women. Show her the importance of cheering other girls on and encouraging others. I do the same.

Model Empowering Behaviors

Finally, I am trying my hardest to model these types of behaviors for my daughters. I am trying to show them that they can love shoes (I mean, hello!) and love technology. I am trying to speak words of life and love to them daily. I am trying to recognize my own value and demonstrate it by the way I practice self-care and positive self-talk.

What are you doing to help your daughters break glass ceilings?

My Wishes for My Daughters in this New Year

As a mom, my heart and mind are always on my two beautiful daughters. Even when we are apart, I am thinking about them and wishing them well. As their mom, it is my unique responsibility to help them grow up to be strong women.

Sometimes I get so focused on who I want my daughters to grow up to be that I lose sight of who they are right now. So, while I don’t think my girls need to make resolutions as adults do at the start of a new year, there are some wishes I hope to come true for them over the next year — wishes that will allow them to be little but also help them to grow.

Allow me the opportunity to make some wishes for my daughters in this new year.

Embrace fun

May this year be one where our kids have more fun. Let’s embrace silliness. Let’s fill our homes with laughter. Instead of forcing our kids to be picture-perfect all the time, let’s give them space to let their hair down.

Play and play some more

Extracurricular activities are great, but this year, let’s have more free play time. Let’s encourage imaginative play with our children becoming different characters and turning ordinary household objects into magical inventions.

Try something new

For children, trying new things can be scary. But, also for kids, much of the world is still new to them. May this be the year they decide to try something new – a new sport, a new activity, or simply a new food.

Learn something valuable

Yes – kids need to learn their ABCs and 123s, and they should be praised when they do so. But, let’s also help them learn life skills. May this be the year they learn to do something of value that they will use the rest of their lives – like how to tie their shoes.

Share, give, donate

As their toy collections grow, may they be encouraged to share with their siblings and friends and give to the needy. May they donate to causes that move their young hearts – animals, foster care, or children’s hospitals.

Practice gratitude

Throughout the year, may our kids practice gratitude. As every door is opened and each gift unwrapped, may they say “thank you” without being reminded.

Celebrate well and often

Celebrating Mickey Mouse’s 90th Birthday

This year let’s celebrate birthdays and holidays and everything in between. May we find every opportunity to cheer, decorate with balloons and confetti, and eat cake.

Create something beautiful

Let’s fill our closets with art supplies and let the kids go wild. May our faces show sheer delight when they proudly show us their beautiful disasters. May we hang them from our refrigerators and frame them on the wall.

Stay healthy

May they wash their hands constantly and exercise regularly. May they avoid stomach bugs, the flu, and eat something green. May they stay safe and healthy all year long.

Fellow mamas, what wishes do you have for your children this year?