What I Say To My Preteen Daughter, And What I Really Mean

I'm pregnant with my daughter. She's not even here yet and I'm already terrified. I have no idea how to raise a daughter. I'm more than scared, I'm petrified.

Even though she's yet to enter the world, my brain is already bursting with all sorts of things I want to tell her, things I need her to know. How will I possibly teach her everything she needs to know to be successful, confident, brave, feminine, and all the other amazing adjectives I imagine her to be?

I already know that somehow, I will mess this up. I'm not a perfect mom and I'm not a perfect example for her to follow. I am flawed, majorly flawed. I thought I'd have it more figured out by now, but I don't. For me, being a woman is often about contradictions… learning how to be confident and still humble or successful and still charitable.

I guarantee I'll tell her all sorts of things and 1/2 those things won't be what I really mean. I'll try to tell her all the things I should, all the important things. What are other moms telling their daughters?

Find out on the next page.

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