MUSINGS

Don’t Squash Her Dreams…

Oct 12, 2013

When you were a little girl, what did you want to “be” when you grew up?

What kind of person did you want to become (or did anyone even bother asking you this question)?

Think back to your girlhood.

What were your dreams? Did you want to be a circus clown, an acrobat, or a CIA agent?

Were you encouraged, or were you told that you couldn’t do that?

Were your dreams honored or squashed?

What beliefs have you held onto that you have to fight to keep to yourself?
What do you find yourself saying to your own daughter that was said to you when you were a child?

As a society, we’ve become so focused on what we can get and are so worried about being judged (ie: beauty, money, status, etc…that creates the decline of self-value and self-esteem) that we’ve forgotten to look within ourselves, value who we are as women, and empower our girls to do the same.

Engage your daughter in conversation today and listen to her talk about her dreams…without your grown-up judgments.

Don’t just ask her what she wants to “be” when she grows up…that isn’t even close to being as important as WHO she wants to be (and better yet, who she IS now).

Allow her to be as creative, crazy, and silly as she wants to be. Let her paint the picture of her future self and life.

Your job is to be present, listen, and embellish with her.

Here are some questions to get the conversation started:
1. What are 3 things you like about yourself?
2. What kind of friend do you want to be when you grow up?
3. What kind of woman do you want to be when you grow up?
4. Do you want to create, help people, help animals, or be an astronaut?
5. What does your life look like?
6. Where do you live?
7. Are you married?
8. Do you go on trips? Where do you travel?
9. Do you work? Do you love your work? What do you do for work?
10. Do you have any kids?
11. What kinds of things do you like to do for fun?
12. Are you happy in your future life?  What about now?

In trying to be good parents, we sometimes place too much emphasis on external achievements (rewards, praise), education, and keeping up with the Jones’s.

We forget how important fostering imagination, creativity, and play are for our children (yes, even for preteens!) as well.

Imagination (aka dreaming) is the key to innovation, creativity, and accomplishing your dreams.

I know you may not have been allowed to dream as a child, but please do your daughter a favor…allow her to be the creator of her own life.

At the very least, allow her to imagine what kind of life she could have as a woman!

Post below your thoughts on this subject. I want to hear from you!