As she has gotten older (at the ripe old age of 11), I continue to look for role models, brands and products that will encourage her to be confident and strong.
So when American Girl contacted me and invited us to spend the day enjoying lunch and shopping at the American Girl store in Los Angeles, we jumped at the chance.
Our afternoon started with a lovely lunch in the cafe complete with mini-cinnamon rolls as an appetizer (shouldn't every meal start with dessert first?), celebratory sparkling apple cider, delicious entrees and the cutest dessert plate ever. The energy was contagious in the room filled with excited young girls celebrating birthdays, outings with grandmas and fun girl time.
Now it was time to explore the store. The first thing that struck me was the huge variety of dolls to choose from. The ideal doll was there for every girl: blonde, brunette, fair skin or freckles. What a joy to see our American diversity embraced. After selecting the perfect doll for Morgan, we had a ball selecting the outfits that best represented her passions and interests. I have to say that it was very hard to decide with so many adorable, yet real-life choices like soccer, softball, music, dance, science and more. We finally decided on the lacrosse outfit (one of her new favorite sports) along with an everyday casual beach outfit. After all, Morgan is a California girl.
Besides getting to spend time with my beautiful daughter, my favorite part of the day was when I glanced up at the wall and saw a message that really resonated with me. It said, "A confident girl believes in herself and her abilities." So true. May we all teach our girls they can be anything they want to be if they believe in themselves, work hard and embrace their individuality.
Thank you, American Girl.
Disclosure: This post is part of a collaboration with American Girl and SheKnows.