On Being a Girl Mom

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I never imagined myself being a mom to a little girl, let alone two. Even though I grew up with an older sister, I always envisioned myself being a mom to boys. Not because I wanted a boy more, but because I was uncertain (and let’s be honest, a little terrified) of navigating the waters of being a girl mom.

girl mom

The uncertainty and fear stem not from feeling incapable, but from remembering my teenage years quite well. They were filled with insecurity and unnecessary drama, whether brought upon by myself or others. I held onto a worry about what others thought of me for far longer than I care to admit. There were standards that I didn’t live up to, or so I thought.

Fast forward several years (and then some) to now. I met my husband in college more than a decade ago, and we have two beautiful girls who are 3 years old and 6 months old. It feels a little silly to be thinking so far into the future of what their teenage years will be like. But the world is much different now than it was when I was a teenager. I see how social media impacts young girls, and I wonder how it will be years down the road. But I try not to think about such things.

Instead, I think about the present. I see the inquisitive, thoughtful 3-year-old who always wants to understand how things work. I see her fascination with life and the world around her, and I just know she is going to excel at whatever she puts her mind to.

I also see my beautiful baby girl who never seems to stop smiling (unless she’s tired or hungry). Her laugh is contagious, and she brings such joy into my life. I just know my sweet baby is always going to brighten the lives of those around her.

And then there’s my husband. The encourager. The boo-boo fixer. The tickle monster. The shoulder to cry on (for me and my girls). He is one of the main reasons I don’t fear my girls feeling insecure about themselves. He brings a reassurance and comfort that takes my breath away. I love the way he loves our girls.

This isn’t to say that single moms (or dads) can’t do the same. Heck, I do all of these things, too. But my husband is strong where I am weak. He balances me out where I fall short. He reminds me that I am enough. We are all enough.

One of our jobs as parents is to remind our children that they are enough. They are beautiful and perfect, just as they are.

They learn what the world is like by their relationship with us as their parents. And even though I wonder what the world will be like when my girls are older, as a mom I can do my best to prepare them for it. I can provide love and guidance, prayers and hope along the way.

Navigating the waters of being a girl mom, or even just being a parent, isn’t easy. It requires confidence in ourselves, even when we don’t feel it. Trusting our instincts and judgment, even when we feel like others are judging us.

Insecurity seems to follow us even into adulthood, it just shows up in different ways. We can let ourselves fall into it, or we can believe in ourselves. Believe we are doing the best we can to raise strong, confident children.  

Each and every day, I tell my girls I love them. That they are beautiful. They are smart. They are strong. I will never stop believing in them and being their biggest cheerleader. And it is my hope that they will never stop believing in themselves. They will always be enough. They will take on the world someday, and I can’t wait to see it.

This is my last post as a DMMB contributor. I couldn’t be more grateful to share my journey and life lessons of parenthood with our readers. Thanks for following along the past three years!

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