Two years ago I was driving to a friend’s party when my tire blew. I called my dad, frustrated, and asked him to come help. It was the middle of a cold, snowy day, and all I was wearing was a sweater. When my dad arrived, instead of letting me sit in the heated car, he handed me his coat, hat and gloves and said “let’s get to work”. I showed up to that party an hour later, frozen and with a huge black smudge on my face. At the time I was furious, what father makes his daughter change a tire in that weather? But looking back, I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
I wasn’t raised to be a princess
My dad’s famous line is “rub some dirt in it”. If I fell, he wouldn’t run over to kiss me better, he would yell across the room for me to “brush it off.” My dad taught me to always be the first to offer help, and that just because I was a girl, it didn’t mean I couldn’t. If something needed to be moved, I was never too weak to help. We had push up contests while watching TV and spent weekends outside helping cut down trees.
My father was all about teaching me how to do things on my own rather than just doing it for me. When the water heater would break or the Internet was being slow, he would make me go with him so he could show me how to fix it. He never treated me differently because I am a girl, always expecting the same from me as he did my brother.
I learned to be tough and independent
I was raised to fix things on my own instead of having to ask for help. I was raised to take a hit, physically or emotionally, and be able to just “brush it off.” I have created my own future by going to college and by eventually having my own career. I never want my happiness to rely on someone else.
It made me confident
I don’t need pounds of makeup and name brand clothes to feel like I’m pretty, and I don’t need a boy’s attention to feel like I’m good enough. I’ve learned to laugh off insults and stand with my head held high no matter what.
I’m not a feminist
Feminism is a huge part of our society. I am not, nor will I ever be a feminist. I believe that if you want something in life, then you have to work for it, regardless of your gender. Women who stand outside protesting against lower wages were probably “daddy’s little princesses.” But the women who march up to their bosses’ desks and tell them what they want, they were raised tough.
So thank you dad
Thank you for making me stand outside in that snow storm just so I could learn how to change a tire. Thank you for making me work for things in life and for always finding a way to toughen me up. Thank you for not making me your little princess.
