Recently, my young daughter, Lily, accidentally spilled some water on the floor. My partner, Mark, half-joked, “Lily, go to the kitchen, get a towel, wipe up the spill, and bring the towel back.” Without hesitation, Lily followed the instructions, cleaned up the water, and returned the towel to its place on the counter.
Mark watched in amazement as Lily, just 13 months old, easily completed the task. In contrast, when our son, Ben, was the same age, he might have attempted to find the towel, but would likely have become distracted by a toy or forgotten the task entirely. It seems I’ve given birth to a “typical” boy and a “typical” girl.
Before having Lily, I often dismissed sweeping generalizations about children based on gender. I would roll my eyes at parents who labeled my active son as “such a boy” while they observed their calm daughters. Wild behavior was always attributed to boys, while girls were seen as possessing admirable traits. I took offense, wanting to believe that boys and girls were equal.
Then I had a daughter—a real baby, I joked, after having one of each. Reflecting on Ben’s early years, I realized he was like a turkey removed from the oven too soon; everything seemed to come naturally to Lily, while Ben often appeared disorganized and chaotic. He could spend ages searching for his shoes only to discover they were still on his feet.
Although I recognize my observations are based on just two children, I struggle to understand why women are not running the world. My daughter is extraordinary, but she is not unique. Many mothers of toddler girls would agree that their daughters could easily lead a country one day. Yet, somewhere along the way, these confident young girls often become more reserved, giggling schoolgirls. Women grow up needing reminders to assert themselves, despite being born with the innate ability to take charge.
I am particularly struck by Lily’s confidence because it makes me reflect on whether I was the same way at her age. She embodies the untainted self-assuredness I once had before external influences urged me to be less myself. I think about my own ongoing journey to embrace confidence and comfort in my identity, knowing I was likely as capable as Lily is now.
We must work to ensure that our girls do not lose their sense of self. Just as we should stop labeling boys’ behavior negatively, we owe it to our daughters to help them retain the assertiveness they possess from birth. They are born ready to lead; we just need to step back and allow them to do so.
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In summary, the confidence and capabilities that young girls display should be nurtured rather than diminished. As parents, we must create an environment that encourages girls to maintain their assertiveness and leadership qualities as they grow.
Keyphrase: Women leadership
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