It never occurred to me, until I had a little girl, how strangely people talked to her. I even found myself telling her how pretty she was. Not that those types of words of encouragement aren’t important, but it got me thinking about all the other more empowering things I could be saying to her.

I recently rented “The Help.” Towards the end, one maid has been framed for a crime she didn’t commit, she is fired and has to immediately leave the house and the little girl she has essentially raised from birth. Before she goes, she kneels down and says to this little girl “You are smart. You are kind. You are important.” The same thing she has been telling this little girl, everyday, her entire life. I realized that these are the things my daughter needs to hear, everyday.

This article is great. It talks about our tendencies when it comes to talking to little girls.

Lisa Bloom: How to Talk to Little Girls.

If we can change these tendencies when they’re little, will it translate to when she’s older, sitting where I’m sitting, talking to her own little girl? Perhaps. Worth a shot.