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Girl Power

How to Raise Strong Women

How to raise strong women.  Women of strength are all around us…..today we’re talking about raising the next generation of strong females!

Thank you to Zenni Optical for helping us to share our thoughts on this topic.Wondering how to raise strong women? These simple tips are KEY!whatweworeMom: / glasses c/o Zenni Optical / shorts / tee / sandals c/o Swedish Hasbeens /

Lydia: / glasses c/o Zenni Optical / shorts / sandals / hair bow c/o Little Poppy Co /

Pictures by Mily Cooper Photography
Wondering how to raise strong women? These simple tips are KEY!“I want her to be a strong woman.”  That was my first thought when we found out we were having a baby girl.  Isn’t it every mother’s?  Our society has come a long way, but it’s still tough to be a woman sometimes.  We are gently pushed into certain career paths, we hit glass ceilings, we are expected to have certain personality traits and are judged for having others.
how to raise strong women1The older Lydia gets, the more I’ve been thinking about how I can encourage her to be a strong woman.Wondering how to raise strong women? These simple tips are KEY!Encouraging Her to Speak Her Mind: Women are often taught to be accepting or cooperative.  Teamwork and cooperation is important, but so is being able to speak up for what you want or need.  How do you do this with a toddler? We’re starting simple.  Encouraging Lydia to ask for what she wants, honoring her when she does, and modeling that same behavior as adults.how to raise strong women11Standing Up For Those Less Fortunate: Strong women who have made a mark in the history books? They stood up for those who couldn’t stand up for themselves.  Whether fighting for freedom from slavery, the right to vote, or the right to work……throughout history our strongest female role models have fought for the rights of many.  As a teacher in an inner-city school, I hope to model this behavior for my own daughter on a daily basis.  But, how do we ask HER to do that? With the people she knows.  If a friend is sad, we ask her to help.  If someone needs something (as simple as a snack or a toy) we encourage her to speak up.  It makes me so proud to see her starting to do this on her own!how to raise strong women2Removing Negative Descriptors for Strong Behavior: Bossy? Aggressive? The B-word? Funny how you rarely hear men being described this way, right?  In our household, we are trying our best to remove these words from our vocabulary when describing behavior.  Instead we are using words like strong or phrases like “thank you for trying to help, but it is ____________’s turn right now.”Wondering how to raise strong women? These simple tips are KEY!One of my favorite things about raising a daughter? I get to see female leaders everywhere and share them with her.  Our partner Zenni Optical? They love female leaders too!  They’re working to celebrate the positive impact these leaders have on our communities, and to ensure that they can be seen physically through the gift of stylish and affordable eyewear.

Zenni Optical makes beautiful, affordable glasses AND sunglasses like the ones Lydia and I are wearing in these pictures (side note, she wears these sunglasses EVERYDAY and refuses to take them off even after dark).  Their curated collections allow all family members to purchase affordable prescription or non-prescription glasses with ease. 

Wondering how to raise strong women? These simple tips are KEY!To celebrate Zenni’s vision of strong women and raising the next generation of them……we are teaming up with them today to give one of YOU a pair of glasses.  Yup, even prescription ones! 
how to raise strong women9 Wondering how to raise strong women? These simple tips are KEY! Wondering how to raise strong women? These simple tips are KEY! how to raise strong women4 Wondering how to raise strong women? These simple tips are KEY!So mamas, what are you doing to raise the next generation of strong women?

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  1. Emmy says

    June 15, 2016 at 11:27 am

    Great post! I think a lot of it comes down to helping them understand who they truly are and the purpose of this life, if they truly understand that and their worth then it makes the rest of the path a lot easier.

    Reply
  2. Kendra says

    June 15, 2016 at 11:34 am

    Lydia is going to be such an awesome woman!

    Reply
  3. Phyrra says

    June 15, 2016 at 11:49 am

    Great post! While I don’t have children, if I did, one thing I would do is teach them to lift weights because I think it gives a feeling of self confidence, plus teaches them to live a healthy lifestyle.

    Reply
  4. Jamie says

    June 15, 2016 at 12:43 pm

    My advice would be to teach your children to try and do things on their own before asking for help.

    Reply
  5. Kate | My Mommy Brain says

    June 15, 2016 at 1:07 pm

    Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do something just because you are a woman. And if they do, prove them wrong!

    Reply
  6. lynzy says

    June 15, 2016 at 2:47 pm

    My advice is to always give them enough space to grow confidently

    Reply
  7. Jamie| Makeup Life and Love says

    June 15, 2016 at 2:54 pm

    I absolutely LOVE this post! Great advice and loveeeee it all!

    Reply
  8. shannon fowler says

    June 15, 2016 at 8:24 pm

    my advice is to never focus on being a certain weight but instead focus on nutrition and health. also focus on their strengths and point them out

    Reply
  9. Sandy a la Mode says

    June 15, 2016 at 10:12 pm

    ummmmmmm you girls are SO cute!!!!

    Reply
  10. Jeanne Coulombe says

    June 16, 2016 at 2:55 am

    Teach them to be independent, we taught our daughter that she can do anything she puts her mind to and never let anyone tell her elsewise. She graduated with high honors then went on to collage and graduated top of her class. She now has a great job and she loves it!

    Reply
  11. sandra says

    June 16, 2016 at 5:10 am

    raise their self confidence

    Reply
  12. Julie says

    June 16, 2016 at 5:15 am

    My advice is to let kids have responsibilities and let them do things even if it is hard and this will help them build up their confidence if they take on challenges and persevere. We as parents need to let our kids take on things that might not be comfortable.

    Reply
  13. Becca Z says

    June 16, 2016 at 8:22 am

    what worked for me was being encouraged to read (and restricted on tv), I read tons of books about lots of strong woman from a very young age

    Reply
  14. Andrea Darst says

    June 16, 2016 at 11:52 am

    I love this post! My mom always taught me that being strong also means it’s ok to be vulnerable sometimes, and to be compassionate.

    Reply
  15. Laura says

    June 16, 2016 at 2:16 pm

    I would say to always be supportive and let them know that they can be anything that they want to as long as they work hard enough.

    Reply
  16. Michelle says

    June 16, 2016 at 11:19 pm

    I think confidence and self esteem is important in being a strong woman.

    Reply
  17. Holly says

    June 17, 2016 at 2:40 am

    To never let anyone tell you that your opinions don’t matter.

    Reply
  18. Rebecca says

    June 17, 2016 at 8:04 am

    I think every opportunity you get to build up their confidence, do it! Makes for a strong confident person!

    Reply
  19. Casi Selph says

    June 17, 2016 at 9:41 am

    Always support them, and push them to step outside their comfort zone!! I think it’s also important for them to know that nothing in this world is free and we must always put our best foot forward and work hard no matter what!! And to always dream BIG!!

    Reply
  20. Andi says

    June 17, 2016 at 9:50 am

    Teach them how to be independent from a young age. I think encouraging solo travel is awesome at the right age!

    Reply
  21. Connie says

    June 17, 2016 at 10:00 am

    Teach your daughters to do it all. Never rely on anyone else!! Both of my daughters can change the oil in the cars, fix a flat tire and fix a leaky toilet.

    Be independent!! You can do anything you want!

    Reply
  22. Lisa Williams says

    June 17, 2016 at 10:07 am

    Make sure you tell her smart and capable she is and that she can be whatever she wants and that she has a right to find her happiness.

    Reply
  23. Lauryn R says

    June 17, 2016 at 10:24 am

    My best advice on how to raise a strong woman is to set an example of this by being strong and confident yourself! Allowing them to learn from their mistakes is important as well.

    Reply
  24. Margot Core says

    June 17, 2016 at 10:32 am

    Don’t just compliment them all the time on how they look!

    Reply
  25. Hope says

    June 17, 2016 at 11:03 am

    Teach her to always be herself.

    Reply
  26. Kim Pincombe Cole says

    June 17, 2016 at 11:09 am

    My advice is to be honest & share our own insecurities. We grow stronger from acknowledging our weaknesses & learning from them!

    Reply
  27. Heather Hollands says

    June 17, 2016 at 11:45 am

    Raise strong women by giving them opportunities to use their voice.

    Reply
  28. Sarah L says

    June 17, 2016 at 4:48 pm

    Be a role model and introduce her to other strong women.
    Thanks for the contest.

    Reply
  29. Dagmar says

    June 17, 2016 at 5:11 pm

    Show them how to be confident in themselves!

    Reply
  30. Paol says

    June 17, 2016 at 5:21 pm

    Besides teaching your daughters to embrace their uniqueness but you have to show them through verbal and physical communication (i.e body language, verbal tone/pitch, and so on).

    Reply
  31. amy pugmire says

    June 17, 2016 at 6:36 pm

    To stay true to yourself and confident with who you are! Your kids will follow your example!

    Reply
  32. kesha says

    June 17, 2016 at 6:40 pm

    Be yourself and genuine!

    Reply
  33. lovely joy merced says

    June 17, 2016 at 6:46 pm

    my advice is give time to your kids and show how important they are, in that way they’ll feel loved and spread love to everyone, the love and time that we can give to them will make them stronger!

    Reply
  34. Michelle C says

    June 18, 2016 at 5:06 am

    I have three kids, two are girls. I’ve always stressed to all of my kids that they can do whatever they want. I don’t enforce gender stereotypes by having my girls wear girl colors and having my son only play with boy toys. I work in a male dominated field, so I feel like I am setting an example.

    Reply
  35. Anne says

    June 18, 2016 at 9:09 am

    A strong woman knows how to make a “failure” a motivator to get where she needs to be. She never lets anything control her destiny.

    Reply
  36. Penni says

    June 18, 2016 at 11:17 am

    Be the strongest role model you can be, every day, and offer lots of support and positive reinforcement for similarly strong behavior in the girls you want to inspire!

    Reply
  37. Marilyn Legault says

    June 18, 2016 at 11:35 am

    It never hurts to build up their confidence and esteem while they are young.

    Reply
  38. Laurent Legault says

    June 18, 2016 at 11:41 am

    Let them make their mistakes while young and don’t criticize them. They need building up not knocking down.

    Reply
  39. Katherine Oliveira says

    June 18, 2016 at 3:47 pm

    Teach them to be independent , and give encouragement!

    Reply
  40. Debbie Clauer says

    June 18, 2016 at 6:04 pm

    Let them be themselves, lots of encouragement and minimal criticism.

    Reply
  41. Jenesse says

    June 19, 2016 at 5:31 pm

    Thank you for this! So many great things about it. I think the best advice is to surround yourself with people who support you and to always fight for yourself and others.

    Reply
  42. Ashley says

    June 19, 2016 at 8:03 pm

    Women need to have respect for others- always using their manners and listening to their elders!

    Reply
  43. Ellen Casper says

    June 20, 2016 at 11:57 am

    Never Let Anyone Take Advantage of You

    Reply
  44. Kathy Clark says

    June 20, 2016 at 3:46 pm

    Help them to believe in their abilities and beauty by complimenting and encouraging them every day!

    Reply
  45. SHIRLEY SYMON says

    June 21, 2016 at 12:54 pm

    My one piece of advice is to always be yourself both personally and professionally. Lead by example. Do the best you can in everything you do because you want not to be rewarded.

    Reply
  46. Brandon Sparks says

    June 21, 2016 at 3:28 pm

    Never back down and always keep your word

    Reply
  47. Steve says

    June 21, 2016 at 4:02 pm

    My best piece of advice is support them and don’t hold them back from anything.

    Reply
  48. Joel says

    June 21, 2016 at 4:27 pm

    My advice is to teach them they can be whatever they want to be.

    Reply
  49. Michelle H says

    June 22, 2016 at 10:55 am

    I refuse to let anyone force my daughter to do anything she doesn’t want to do, even if it’s Daddy tickling her or asking for a hug and kiss.

    Reply
  50. Karren says

    June 24, 2016 at 12:11 pm

    ALways be true to yourself and always speak what you feel, no one can argue with your feelings!!

    Reply
  51. Lisa @ Fun Money Mom says

    June 25, 2016 at 7:58 am

    First of all, your daughter is absolutely adorable!!! I have two daughters of my own and this is such a great post! These are all important lessons that we should be teaching our girls and it’s always nice to get a reminder like this. Thanks so much for sharing with us at Share The Wealth Sunday!

    Reply
  52. Mistie says

    June 27, 2016 at 5:54 pm

    Awesome post! You ladies are beautiful also! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  53. Pamela Li (Rookie Parenting) says

    August 12, 2016 at 10:45 pm

    What a great list! “Encourage her to speak her mind” is my #1, too. 🙂

    Reply
  54. Salomon says

    February 14, 2017 at 3:08 am

    My one piece of advice is to always be yourself both personally and professionally.

    Reply
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❤️We have everything ready for when our kids a ❤️We have everything ready for when our kids are sick…..but tell the truth, what about when YOU'RE not feeling your best?❤️⠀
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🧡<Sponsored by Avrio Health> Let’s be honest, this normally falls to the wayside, am I right?  As parents, we tend to be way more prepared for our kids' sick days than our own. ⠀
⠀
💛This year, I’m committing to being AS PREPARED to take care of myself as I am to take care of Lydia (reminder moms, these aren’t mutually exclusive….taking care of YOURSELF is important too). I always keep “sick day supplies” on hand for Lydia and this year I'm finally making myself a priority too. ⠀
⠀
💚In my "Sick Day" Kit:⠀
1️⃣Orange Juice:  If I start to feel sick…..Vitamin C filled juice is first up!⠀
2️⃣ @Betadine_us Antiseptic Sore Throat Gargle: This fast-acting gargle temporarily relieves occasional sore throat. I stocked up on this! You can #UpYourGargleGame by buying it at Walgreens or from Amazon! Betadine Gargle should be used as directed for adults and children 12 years and older. See product labeling for directions and warnings. ⠀
3️⃣Heating Pad: Sore muscles? Slept poorly? All of these things tend to come along with sick days and a heating pad is a must have.⠀
4️⃣Ice Packs: I started stocking extra ice packs in our freezer in case of headaches.⠀
5️⃣Soup: Tummy trouble? Better to have soup on hand for when I need it.⠀
⠀
💙What do you keep in the house for sick days?⠀
Watch out for that glass ladies……it’s everyw Watch out for that glass ladies……it’s everywhere!

To broken glass ceilings, rebuilding our nation, and starting the journey of 1000 miles with a single step.

Joy cometh in the morning.
📣How are you using your Influence?📣⠀
⠀
💛I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. We ALL have influence…..on this app, in our church pews, on our personal social media, in our private conversations, talking from 6 feet apart to our neighbors, in the way we address conflicting viewpoints (note to self on this one), over our children and our students.  To be in community with others is to have influence.  How are we each using it? ⠀
⠀
💛This lady? We’re talking all about Inspiration this month and she’s one of mine.  At 75 years old (happy birthday Dolly), not only is she one of THE most successful recording artists…..but talk about using your influence.  From speaking up to say that Black Lives Matter to founding her Imagination Library which provides books to children worldwide…..this lady proactively uses her talent and influence to serve others.  May I do the same at the ripe age of 75.⠀
⠀
💛So what does that look like for me? Authentic conversation everywhere…..including here.  To be transparent, every time I’ve spoke up about basic human rights here in the last few years…….people leave our community. And that? Is just fine with me.  Because, what good is this community if I can't speak about the values that are a core part of who I am? Now? I want to do more. A foundation? Charity work? I’m not sure, but I can tell you…..I’m inspired and I hope you are too.  Change starts with us.⠀
⠀
💛(ps, if you want to support Dolly’s Imagination Library, a book is donated to it for every one of these sweatshirts sold….I include the info here for those of you on like to know it and in my profile for the rest of y’all).⠀
⠀
#troopselflove #happybirthdaydolly http://liketk.it/36mXv #liketkit @liketoknow.it #LTKSeasonal
📷 “Mom I want to do my OWN pictures. I picke 📷 “Mom I want to do my OWN pictures.  I picked out my favorite dress and shoes.  Can I do that when we take pictures?”📷⠀
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✨Story time.  I rarely share pictures of Lydia by herself on here.  But this? Is a story of when my seven year old reminded me how to love myself.  We had plans to shoot a BUNCH of images at once, a batch shoot.  So as Lydia watched me planning outfits and get organized, she decided she wanted to do her own thing.  She picked an outfit and her favorite shoes. ⠀
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✨And she did the darn thing.  This? She picked the angle and background.  And the joy? Look at the joy.  That’s not posed. ⠀
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✨Somewhere along the way…..as tweens or teens or adults, we lose the joy.  The, I feel pretty and want to twirl in my dress joy.  We worry that our thighs are rubbing together or our hair looks weird, or that we should be wearing a darker color to minimize things.  And…..we’re missing the point.  Sometimes, you just need a dress you can twirl in with a smile on your face.⠀
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✨Thanks Lydia. ⠀
⠀
#troopselflove ⠀
💕 Here’s your reminder that you are never:⠀ 💕 Here’s your reminder that you are never:⠀
-too curvy ⠀
-too old⠀
-too late⠀
-too busy being a mom⠀
⠀
To celebrate yourself! 💕⠀
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These photos are something I told myself a million times I wanted to take.  And something I told myself a million times I shouldn’t.  Here’s to the millionth time plus one.  A 41 year old curvy mom.  Yup, thick thighs and all.  And I’m so proud of how they turned out.⠀
⠀
#troopselflove
⁉️Two Truths and a Lie (can you guess which is ⁉️Two Truths and a Lie (can you guess which is the lie?)⁉️⠀
1️⃣2021 is the year we’re committing to taking multivitamins daily⠀
2️⃣Lydia is a picky eater⠀
3️⃣Multivitamins are a quick fix⠀
⠀
💛 #ritualpartner Did you guess which was the lie?⠀
⠀
💛You guys know I’m allllll about simple lifestyle adjustments that make change over time instead of big, hard to maintain resolutions. And one of the best adjustments we’ve made? I’m not even sure it counts as a New Year’s adjustment because we actually started in December........we’ve FINALLY committed to taking @ritual multivitamins each day. Will this be an overnight game changer? Nope. But it will be an important simple change that will support our health in the long run. And I’m here for it.⠀
⠀
💛Since we love a mommy and me vibe, I was excited when I ordered my first bottle of Ritual⠀
multivitamins and discovered that.....they have kids products now! Like all Ritual products, the⠀
new kids vitamins are sugar free, gluten free and non-gmo.....but unlike the adult version,⠀
these are a gummy....and even my picky eater (hint, hint if you’re still guessing the lie) loves⠀
them!⠀
⠀
💛Want to make this simple change with us? ⠀
⠀
💛You can use code CARLY10 to get 10% off your first 3 months of Ritual multiitamins (the code works on the adult and teen vitamins too!)⠀
⠀
💛Now......did you guess the lie????⠀
💕Let’s talk about kids+talking about scary th 💕Let’s talk about kids+talking about scary things💕⠀
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Yesterday, we all watched in horror as domestic terrorism took place before our eyes. It is….terrifying, sad, anger inducing, and yet ANOTHER example of the blatant hatred and racism that are sewed into the threads of our nation. What happened is not ok. I know that we all want better for our children. We want our babies to grow up safe, loved+valued.⠀
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I talked in my stories today about ways to talk to your children about yesterday’s events. While I wish I could say that we won’t need to have anymore of these discussions……I think we all know that as a collective, we have a long way to go and that these dialogs will come up again and again.⠀
⠀
I want to remind you:⠀
💕you know your children, you know what is appropriate to share with them based on their age, knowledge of events, anxiety levels…..listen to your gut here⠀
💕I believe that information fights fear and anxiety, and that there are levels of information that age appropriate and some that aren’t (for instance, Lydia DID watch the news with us yesterday, but I left the room with her as they showed some of the more violent parts of the riot including footage of the shooting)⠀
💕it’s important to remind our babies that our role in their lives is to protect them, and that we will ALWAYS do that to the best of our ability⠀
⠀
Ways to Start a Discussion About Scary Things:⠀
💕draw a picture of feelings (you and your child, then share and describe)⠀
💕use toys or puppets to model feelings ⠀
💕movement helps, go for a walk and talk⠀
💕just start….”This is hard to talk about, but I wanted to discuss what happened yesterday with you and to hear how you are feeling about it.”⠀
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💕It’s ok if you don’t know how to do this, or don’t have all the answers.  Parenting is about doing your best, and loving your kids.  And guess what? Your kids love the imperfect, honest version of you.  The journey of a 1000 miles starts with a single step.  I believe in you.  I believe in us.  I believe in our children and our ability to raise them in a way that changes……everything.⠀
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< I’ve tagged some accounts that are an amazing resource to me in learning how to talk to Lydia>
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