November 13, 2016
As a little girl, I loved to watch my grandmother closely and any program (especially Wonder Woman) that had strong beautiful women as role models. I felt empowered by watching and reading about women even if they were fictional. My mother was an excellent role model in motherhood, she had 9 children, homemaking skills and provided service to our neighbors and family! My Grandmother Hammond (the ultimate Queen Bee) was probably the strongest role model I can recall. Grandma spoke her mind, accomplished what she set out to do and was never afraid to do so. It did not matter if it was a man, woman, layman or career professional! Every time I was around her she left me feeling like no one could ever challenge her resolve! I loved it!
I do not recall her working outside of the home. But her self-reliant empowered attitude had a significant influence on our family! Especially the women; my sisters and my cousins! The aura that surrounded her was enlightening to everyone and in her little 5-foot frame she strongly manifested from her being; I am in charge, empowered and the decision maker! I feel very proud to say that I am her granddaughter.
Over the years I have found myself borrowing her lines and those of fictional characters in my real world. Here are a few closely related quotes that I vividly remember:
“Wonder Woman: The fate of the free world rests in me!”
“Grandma: The decision rests with me!”
“Wonder Woman: Show’s over boys.”
“Grandma: Okay boys, the fun’s over.”
“Wonder Woman: You obviously have little regard for womanhood.”
“Grandma: They need to learn some respect!”
Funny how a few simple lines can remain upon the mind of a little girl and how they are interchangeable between a strong powerful role model and a fictional character that embodies the same qualities!
I learned at a very young age that she was not “A Damsel in Distress” ! She made decisions and knew what she wanted. I had watched her run the family farm, line out my Uncles and then sternly but professionally call the City Council and make an appointment to speak with them when she had an issue to discuss! She was never intimidated by any individual or position!
Many times, young girls and women have difficulty connecting with their own strengths and abilities. Media, society and generations of women being in only a support role to their male counter parts have perpetuated the “Damsel in Distress” or “my husband will take care of it” mentality! Many young women are left to figure out who they are and what they can accomplish on their own.
So, when I had daughters, I worried if they would be able to hold their own. My daughters like all little girls were extremely sweet and beautiful! They often held their cards close to their chest and would not voice their opinion, outside of our home. I worried about them developing a helpless I am to cute to do it on my own attitude or the delusional Damsel in Distress syndrome! I knew they were smart, beautiful and resilient! But I wanted them to know it, to know they could speak out and be comfortable with their own voice of empowerment!
I set out to help them be strong and comfortable in any setting. I gleaned ideas that would give them the opportunity to be smart, beautiful, resilient and empowered.
Here are a few highlights…
- I wanted my daughters to play, work hard, and to get dirty; I wanted them to have an opportunity to touch the earth and dream about saving the earth. I purchased toys for my daughters that were stereotyped as being just for boys! A sling shot, a BB Gun, transformers, garden seeds and an easy bake oven!
- I wanted my daughters to recognize their accomplishments not how they looked when they accomplished their goals! I enrolled my daughters in Taekwondo with the boys while living in Korea! They worked hard to learn all the stances, strikes and kicks! They worked diligently to make them strong and powerful. They were little 5 & 8 year old girls striving to have the face of a warrior. They loved Bruce Lee; collected and watched unceasingly all of his movies! Bruce Lee was their super hero, posters adorned their bedroom walls!
- I wanted my daughters to develop math, science, and computer skills. My oldest daughter loved science and the Kennedy Space Center. She wrote letters to the Space center and received information about becoming an astronaut. Her love of Science continues today and she shares it with her own children and the students she teaches!
- I wanted and encouraged my daughters to speak their mind especially if it was in disagreement with what I wanted. This was a fabulous opportunity for them to develop communication skills, express their desires without fear, reprisal and ultimately to still respect authority when I made the final call!
- I wanted my daughters to have a sense of their own style! To this day my daughters laugh and tease that I dressed them like little business women before they took over! The truth is I often had to bite my tongue when it came to their clothing, hair and accessory choices so they could develop their own sense of style!
- I wanted my daughters to meet other women who had a career and professional life balance. I provided my girls with books and lessons from history on women who were amazing, they knew these women had hardships yet they never gave up!
- I wanted my daughters to think beyond the material world. I gave my daughters an art kit, a fishing pole, a tool box, and a pocket knife with instructions that their gifts to me and each other must be handmade. No purchasing allowed.
- I wanted my daughters to be involved in service to others, and recognize other girls as their friends and sisters despite diversity of color, religion or national origin! My daughters were in the Girl Scouts while we were stationed in Germany and Korea! They absolutely loved being of service to others and being friends with little girls from around the world.
- I wanted my daughters on any occasion to walk into a room and feel comfortable. And so, I told them from the time they were very young “when you walk into a room, act as if you own the place. Be respectful to everyone but YOU own it! Be comfortable as if you were in your own home!
This is a very short list…. but I feel it is very important for women every where to recognize that we must Empower our Daughters! Certainly, the love of family and the companionship of a partner is what we strive for in this life! We need that support, someone that has our back! But as a parent having the peace of mind that my daughter is empowered and can handle the tough things that come in life with confidence, resolve and sufficient self-esteem is nothing but an enduring blessing! Through our example and efforts; We Can & We Will help our daughters become Empowered Wonder Women!
