Image: Flickr/Murilo Cardoso

“A little girl is sugar and spice and everything nice — especially when she’s taking a nap.” (Author Unknown)

Anyone who has a daughter knows that girls are sugar and spice, but they are most definitely not “everything” nice. And the more we expect them to be, the more we hold them back from becoming the women they’re trying to become. Giving your girl the chance to make mistakes, to be “bossy”, to hurt someone’s feelings, may just be the most loving and empowering thing you can do for her.

This allows her to experience the consequences of her actions (both positive and negative) — which is something we all should want for all of our children. If we want to raise a generation of strong, capable women, we have to give these little girls the freedom to discover themselves. Some girls can be just as adventurous as boys. Some can be just as curious about how stuff works. Each girls is unique and should be encouraged to approach life in her own way.

There is one thing that all girls do have in common, though. One thing they all share. They smell much, much better than their male counterparts. And that is pretty nice.