One of the greatest joys of my life is being a mom to my daughter. Her arrival into this world opened my eyes to things I never expected, reaffirmed my belief in the power of girls and women, and turned me into a fiercer feminist than I ever thought possible, mostly because I am aware that there are still many obstacles in the world that she will be faced with that her brother will never be. It isn't fair, but it is reality, and I want her to be prepared for it.
There are so many things I hope she knows before she leaves the safe nest her father and I have created for her: how to stand up for herself, how to treat that body of hers with care and respect, and how to live boldly. At some point, I know she will have to make her own path away from me. I want that independence for her, but I also hope she'll enter the world armed with some rules from mom that help guide her along her way. Darling girl, here are 10 rules I hope you will always follow.