There are so many life lessons and life experiences I cannot wait to teach and share with my daughter as she grows older, for now the little things I can teach her is my love for music, my love for her and for others around us, to love herself and believe she is smart, brave, strong, and beautiful inside out.
Shirel is 2 years old and this age is so precious, people would always tell me and now I understand exactly what they meant. She is more opinionated, and can finally voice them, everything from what she wants to eat, to what she wants to wear, and even how she wants to wear her hair, usually she asks me to braid it like Elsa (yes she is obsessed with Frozen already). I remember when she was born the first few days were so overwhelming in so many ways as you other mothers know, and those of you who aren’t yet you can only imagine! I would hold her and stare at her in disbelief that I just gave birth to this little beautiful baby girl, but at the same time she looked nothing like me, she looked Asian like my husband, and as much as you prepare yourself and know that she will be a mixed child it still takes time to take it in when you are actually holding her and staring at her. 
But that only lasted a few days, and then I realized I now am a mother and the love I feel for her is so powerful that nothing else matters, especially not the comments you hear from people which at first are shocking and offensive, but then you realise they don’t matter because you will teach her that she is special and beautiful. The comments I have gotten from strangers, and close people as well are “such a shame she doesn’t have your eyes”, or “such a shame she doesn’t have your blonde thick hair!” That to me is enough for a little girl to hear and start to believe that she isn’t beautiful enough, because she doesn’t look like what everyone else believes beautiful is! Beautiful is not just one type or one kind, and I refuse to let that affect my daughter and how she perceives herself when she starts to grow up.
I will teach her that her eyes are beautiful and unique, her skin is beautiful and her hair is so beautiful, that she is a beautiful person because of how she treats others, because she is smart and capable, with a kind heart! That her heritage is something to be proud of, she is half Chinese and half Georgian a truly unique and beautiful mix that shows in her personality and in her unique features. 
That is why I love our “hair moment” every morning after I get her dressed, and I sit her down in front of the mirror to do her hair, and she acts silly making funny faces to make me laugh, or she tells me that today she would like her hair in a braid like Elsa, it is such a sweet moment that I do not take for granted and it takes me back to my childhood and how much I loved when my mother did my hair! Hair is such an important element in my culture, it shows not only beauty but your heritage and your roots, I have (blonde) thick wavy hair such as my father, and Shirel has silky dark hair just like her father, and I cannot wait until she grows up and starts to do her hair and asks for my advice. Her hair will be another way of her to be proud of who she is and her heritage, and I will be right there next to her teaching her to love it and treat it with kindness and love, just as she should treat herself and others.
There is a narrow depiction of what “beautiful hair” is traditionally thought to look like and earlier this year Dove Hair found that 8 in 10 women feel pressure to wear their hair a certain way. For many these pressures began at an early age! Dove Hair believes a positive role model can greatly impact a girl’s confidence. In fact a recent Dove study, found that 82% of girls learn to care about themselves from their mother. As a mother you can make a difference and help ensure she grows up feeling confident. Celebrate the beauty of your daughter’s hair today, so she loves her hair tomorrow. Tell her why you love her hair and inspire her to do the same by sharing your #LoveYourHair selfie and tagging @Dove. To add some extra love visit LoveYourHair.Dove.com, to create your own custom animated message and share with your friends and family!
