How You Can Remind Your Daughter That She Is Unstoppable

Right now, my 12-year-old daughter Emily is an unstoppable force. She dances twice a week. She is an excellent swimmer and is well on her way to earning her lifeguarding badge. She is an actress who recently filmed a big part in her very first television show. Unstoppable. Right now. She is comfortable with her body, in her own skin. But I know the teenage years are coming. As she changes from tween to teen, as the hormones come to visit our home, I know that all of this could change.

And as a mom, I worry. I know that more than half of teenage girls avoid normal daily activities such as attending school or even giving their opinions when they feel bad about their looks. Six out of ten girls avoid doing things they love because they lack body confidence. SIX OUT OF TEN.

Six out of ten is an absolutely unacceptable number for me. It makes me want to scoop up all of the girls I know and help each of them build a positive attitude about their bodies—to urge them to continue doing what they love, whether it's soccer or dance or acting or swimming or running or playing guitar or singing or trampolining.

Or simply raising their hands in class.

I can't scoop up every girl, but I can scoop up my own tweenager, and my soon-to-be tweenager. I can inspire my girls to keep going, and to always be unstoppable!

Research has shown a direct link between a mom's influence and her daughter's feeling of self-worth and body confidence. Moms need to listen and really hear what their daughters are saying and feeling and thinking—and then we need to fill our daughters with messaging that reminds them that they are worthy, they are wonderful, powerful, beautiful, special, and that they are truly unstoppable.

I know that I am committed.

You know who else is committed? Everyone who participated in YMC's #GirlsUnstoppabble Twitter party this past October 15th. In just one hour, we reached almost 350,000 moms on Twitter! These moms and mentors are ready to be the role model and to choose good—nay great—role models for young and amazing teens.

And you know who else is committed? Dove is fully on board to help inspire all women and girls to reach their full potential by caring for themselves and each other. Dove envisions a world where beauty is the source of confidence and not anxiety.

I remember being super excited the day I got my very first locker. It was such a huge step to independence—a place to keep all of my wordly belongings, a space of my very own to decorate with pictures of me and my friends, and, of course, a place to do a quick hair check in my very own mirror. As mom to my very own tweenagers, I am excited for her to have this step too. I'm excited for her to have her very own space for indoor shoes, for math textbooks, for notes from friends, and, of course, a place to do a quick hair check.

And now with the school year in full swing, Dove has introduced a way for you to still inspire and encourage the girl in your life, even when you can't be there with her. For a limited time, go to Dove.ca to order a customized locker mirror with your personal message of encouragement to a girl in your life. This school year, each time she opens her locker she will see a special message written by YOU on her Dove mirror.

So now I can buy her a mirror that not only gives her a place to do a quick hair check, but also gives her one of these personal messages from me:

You are the most wonderful you. Don't ever forget it.

Dance. Always. Even when everyone's watching.

Smile! It increases your face value.

Always raise your hand in class.

Never be afraid to take that leap.

Buying a mirror for a special young lady in your life couldn't be easier—or more important.