I took part in a holiday party back in December at a Family Resource Center located in the Atlanta metro area. It was an event that allowed single mothers to be in one ballroom to enjoy a well-prepared meal and fellowship; while the kids were in another room with volunteers playing, talking, and watching a movie. One of the extras is that gifts were provided to the kids and for the kids to give to their mom. The gifts provided to the kids were a set of books.
The books given to the kids were prepared to be age appropriate for each kid. Well there was one little girl that was very sad (tears being shed) with the books she received. She really wanted a princess book that some of the younger girls received. I think some of the other volunteers may have thought she was being ungrateful. Once I sat down with her to get her to stop crying, I asked her about the tears. She went on to tell me that she doesn’t like “chapter” books…she likes princess books. I realized her sadness wasn’t solely based on her liking princess books. The root of the matter was the chapter books she received was not age appropriate for her. A simple mistake made by the volunteers distributing the books.
I then starting talking to her about princesses and asked her if she was a princess. She said no she wasn’t but that she had princess items at home. I told her that she is a princess and that every little girl is a princess. She then told me something that really struck a chord with me as a father. She said, “My daddy doesn’t call me a princess.” Without even thinking, I told her that she is a princess and that she will always be a princess know matter what. I felt a lot better when her tears dried up and we then found a book that she liked and read it from cover to cover. By the time the party was over, she was all smiles again and greeted her mother with a big smile of party enjoyment.
Now initially I was wondering who the father was and why doesn’t he tell his daughter that she is a princess and that she is his little princess. I realized that maybe that’s something some fathers don’t say to their daughters.
It is my belief that every little girl should feel as though she is a princess and hear those words…and if possible, that acclamation should come from the father. I think I tell my 2-year old daughter every day that she is my beautiful black princess…if not every day, then I know it’s at least 6 days of the week. And I know she receives it.
So to all the “Pops” out there, as we continue to raise our daughter(s), tell her that she is your princess and you love her. Even if she is grown, tell her. I feel this is one of the best gifts we can give to our daughters…making them feel they are royalty to us.
Cedric Wells is an Atlanta-based artist and writer that is driven to make a difference in the world around him. Along with his art, Cedric’s writings are focused on inspiring individuals to do better than they think they can”...including himself. He has been married to his beautiful wife, Christel, for 8 years; and they have also been entrusted by God to raise three awesome children.
God's Man says
We refer to our girls as Princess Mighty (8yrs) and Princess Mini (4yrs). I can’t tell you how important it is to let your girls know that they are valued.
Great Post
PurpleJeli says
I love this!!! I was not raised with a dad or uncles but my little brother did a wonderful job making me feel protected, yet, that still wasn’t always enough. I always felt something was missing, which is why my daughter is surrounded by men. My brother is her greatest male role model and makes her feel like a princess every chance he gets. Some days he will get her from school and take her out to dinner before I even get off work, just to spend time with her. While she misses her dad, there is no lack of love or understanding that she is quite the princess from her favorite uncle and I couldn’t ask for more. This is soooo important for little girls’ self esteem and confidence, not to mention, it sets a standard for the dating years.
Shira Williams says
I love this!! Our daughter’s need that foundation so bad and of course it begins at home! I admire all men that give their daughters that love they need early on because it surely sets the tone for their views on men. Great article!
Mommy to the Max says
I love that you’re affirming your daughter.
We tell our daughter that she is our beautiful little princess (even though she’s 11), and we tell our boys that they’re handsome and strong. We want them to hear these and other encouraging words often at home because they may not hear them anywhere else.
Future Mommy says
Great article. My husband and I dont have any children yet but this is definitely something we will instill in our future daughter or son, self esteem and knowing that they are LOVED and VALUED
Andree Prendergast says
I was really touched by the article, “Shouldn’t Every Little Black Girl Feel like a Princess”. Every little girl wants to feel special, loved, and important. Hearing and believing that they are thought of as a special princess to important people in their lifes, just boosts their self esteem and makes them feel good about themselves.
I believe that making little girls feel like a special princess has such a positive influence on them, that in fact, I have just recently published a book called, “Every Little Girl is a Princess”.
My character, Callie is a 8 year old girl, who wishes more than anything to be a princess, because she thinks that if she is a princess she will have everything she needs to be happy. She goes on a quest to discover the secret of becoming a princess, and along the way, discovers a lot about herself. She comes to realize that there is a lot more to being a princess than just material things, and as a result, she discovers the true meaning of what it takes to become a princess. The discoveries that she makes will give her strength, as well as self love and acceptance.
For girls age 5-10, or parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, or anyone who may be interested in purchasing this book for their little princess, it is available on Amazon, as well as an e-book for Kindle. ISBN #978-1466294516.
Discover your princess within!
Sincerely, Andree Prendergast, Author