I didn’t initially plan for a career as an ESPN commentator. I wanted to be a professional ballet dancer. I set my heart on it. In high school, I traveled to China to train and also attended a ballet boarding school in DC. During my senior year, I auditioned for spots with several ballet companies. But, after a conversation with my mom, I had a light-switch moment. And, at the last minute, I decided to enroll in the University of Florida to study broadcasting.
My dance training didn’t go to waste, though. While you won’t find me lacing up pointe shoes to talk sports, I do bring with me three qualities I learned during those years. They’ve served me well as a woman, and I want my own daughter, Reese, to learn them, too. If you’re raising a little girl, here are 3 qualities for a daughter to teach her early and often.
1. Be confident.
It feels really special to me to have a hand in raising a young woman. Early on in my career, I quickly learned that in many of the roles we have as women, we’re going to receive criticism. I know Reese is going to go out into the world and be met with so many challenges. That’s just life. So, it’s important to me to find ways to build her confidence, and it’s also why it’s one of the qualities for a daughter I want her to live out.
My daughter is in preschool right now. Even at such a young age, I encourage her to be as prepared as she can be for school
and to be proud of her knowledge and opinions. (She’s already so great at college football picks!) I want her to be confident in who she is and what she knows to be true about herself. So, as her little personality emerges, I make it a point to speak encouraging words to her to help her get comfortable with her personality.
2. Be humble.
Teaching my daughter to be humble isn’t just about instilling manners or politeness. It’s about nurturing a grounded perspective. In a world that often celebrates individual achievement above all else, humility reminds us that every accomplishment is a collective effort influenced by the support and contributions of other people along the way. When I started in this field, I was willing to do sports reporting jobs no one else wanted to do. It’s how I learned, but even after more than a decade in, I’m still a student of the game. And, thankfully, I work with the most amazing teammates who make me better every single day.
By embracing humility as one of the deep-rooted qualities for a daughter, we can shield our girls from entitlement and instead encourage collaboration and a growth mindset. I want Reese to learn to approach challenges with an open mind, acknowledging her strengths while remaining receptive to feedback.
3. Be graceful.
Last Christmas, I took my daughter to her first Nutcracker ballet performance. It was perfect. And I will always treasure the moment of seeing her genuine excitement for everything from the Rat King to the chicken fingers and fries we shared afterward. She saw the beautiful, orchestrated movements of professional dancers on full display.
But, as moms, we can show just as much grace in our everyday conversations and interactions with our children. One of the things that I’ve figured out is that by fully showing up every day for my family and my work and by continuing to try to handle myself with class, I can set a positive example for my daughter. As moms, our daughters watch and learn from us how to respond to others and situations with grace. It’s not about being perfectly poised all the time, either. Some of my least graceful moments happen in front of a camera (like the time I misspoke a question to Coach Nick Saban). However, when my daughter eventually watches, I want her to learn that even when she makes mistakes, she can handle herself with grace, too.
What qualities for a daughter do you hope to instill in your child?
