EVERYDAY: GIRL MOM STATUS
To be painfully honest I never saw myself as a girl mom. After having Sam and loving the dynamic of boy mom life so much I always thought about how fun it would be to raise a house full of boys. Bathtubs filled with dirt from the playground, dragging their stinky selves through the door after practice, eating me out of house and home, wrestling with each other constantly. Sounds a little crazy coming from a girl who grew up with ONLY sisters and as someone who has dedicated a big portion of her life to coaching young women.
It seemed to me that girls came with more complications. I say this because I am a girl (obviously) and I know what it's like to grow up as one. And thanks to my career in coaching I've seen how society has encouraged girls these days to grow up faster than is necessary (to put it nicely). I remember the way I argued with my mom in middle school (because middle schoolers are smarter than everyone, NATURALLY). I see the teenage girls walking around in those shorts. I see the boys who send a text to "hang out" as if that is an acceptable way to ask a girl for a date. I see how early girls are confronted with sex. And I see how it has all just become "the norm." Yes I realize that some things are unavoidable. Yes I realize that boys face life issues too. But boys just seemed - simpler.
It took a minute but while I was pregnant I was chatting with a friend and she changed my entire outlook (unbeknownst to her) in one fell swoop. What she said was something along the lines of "because of who you are and your life experience you have the ability to raise a strong, confident woman who can lead others in a world full of followers." That's all it took for me to realize that being a girl mom wasn't something to fear. It was a privilege to embrace.
So yes, girls do come with a unique set of hurdles to clear throughout their lives. I've had to navigate some of those hurdles myself. But I am so honored to be able to raise a woman. I want her to understand what it looks like to be filled with grace and kindness. To put others before herself. To have the courage to stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves. To live a life filled with God-given purpose. To celebrate her womanhood by respecting herself. To know that real beauty isn't about having a pretty face but having integrity and character.
The world needs more women like this. And I am so proud to be #girlmom.
Talk soon,
Casey