I’m cheating this week with my Sweet Shot,
and I know it.
This photo was taken eight years ago with an Olympus point-and-shoot, my first “real” camera. It was film, and has aged, and lacks in quality, but I think it is the Sweetest. Shot. Ever. This is my daughter, Lexi, and she was about four years old in this photo. We were at the airport and she had just hung up the phone that is behind her on her imaginary friend or business meeting or dance agent or Dora, for all I know, and she was skipping back to us, free as a bird, because that is how she moves. It reminds me of her spirit, her energy, and her confidence.
Which she gets from her dad.
And maybe a little from me.
I have a friend from the gym and she and I have been brewing over how important self-confidence is in girls.
And that unfortunately, not all girls are blessed with families or life experiences or genetics that provide that. We wanted to come up with programming to nurture self-esteem in little girls, but have had a hard time finding a venue that would target the girls who need it the most.
I also serve on an advisory board that aims to improve the health of all women in our community, and one of the topics we are tackling is the issue of teenage pregnancy in our area. We live in the county with the highest rate of teen pregnancy in our state, and in a state that is among the highest in rate of teen pregnancy in our country. One of the issues that most experts discuss when addressing teen pregnancy is lack of self-esteem.
In fact, I think self-esteem is critical in most areas of success for all children, and maybe because we are called the weaker sex, I think especially in girls.
And I have wanted to use my blog for bigger things…
For spreading joy
and for inspiring good.
Then the 31 Days ladies invited us to join them in a 31 Day series. It was the perfect storm for me… an opportunity to put these things all together and hopefully rain down beautiful things for little girls.
So today, I am committing to the 31 Days series with “31 Days to Nurture Her Self-Esteem”. Beginning October 1st, I will be posting ideas, suggestions and activities {maybe a few recipes, too}, and inspiration, meant to stroke your child’s {because, really, these things will work to nurture self-esteem in your boys, too} self-esteem. I hope you will join me; it couldn’t be more important.
Is there any specific thing(s) that you do now to nurture your child’s self-esteem?
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Sweet Shot Tuesday
52 Weeks of Happiness
Weekly Kodachrome
Communal Global
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