Seven for 7: Role Models for my Daughter

Princess recently turned seven!

For her birthday, I wrote her this letter:

Happy Birthday!
You turn seven years old today.  I can still remember you as a tiny newborn baby in my arms, and how you were so perfect.  It's hard to believe how big you are now, and how grown up you are getting.  I hope that you like all of your birthday presents this year.  In addition to the toys and other goodies, I wanted to give you something else.  This book is about seven women who are good role models.  they are all women that I want you to learn about; they are all examples in some way.  You are so very special that I thought you would like to learn from these other special women.

Lots of love,
Mummy

Then I wrote up little sections about each of the following women (in no particular order):

1. Judith Leyster (She was one of the first famous and respected women artists.)
2. Amelia Earhart (She was a pilot, obviously, and, perhaps more truly, an adventurer.)
3. Marie Curie (She was an important scientist who is still the only person to win the Nobel Prize in both physics and chemistry.)
4. J.K. Rowling (Princess just started reading the Harry Potter series.)
5. Maria Mitchell (Among other accomplishments, she discovered a comet.)
6. Mary Whitmer (She was a hard-working woman of great faith.)
7. Jackie Joyner-Kersee (She is one of the greatest athletes of all time, and a noted humanitarian.)

Yes, having role models for little girls is a big deal.  There are so many issues I want my daughters to understand that are a big deal.

Here's a quick side note on the issue of beauty.  Click here to read someone else's blog post about the Dove Beauty campaign.  Even if you don't read the whole post, scroll to the bottom and watch the three videos (all made by the same company).  The ads speak pretty loudly for themselves.