for all girls who want to play

The following post was sponsored by Niagara Water and their #GirlUpSweeps. Empowering all girls to play hard... if/when they want to. 

On New Years Day, the six of us sat around the table and wrote down our goals for the year. On four-year-old Revi's list of things to do were the following:

- Learn to Skateboard
- Take dance class (ballet)
- Try surfing
- Learn to snap

Her twin sister, Bo, also made a list... and on her list, she included:

- Smell Flowers
- Write a letter
- Spend a day eating raspberries
- Skateboard and surf
- Have a butterfly land on my finger

Revi's still working on the snapping and we haven't gone surfing yet this year (although we will get the girls up on boards this sumer for sure) and while Bo hasn't spent an ENTIRE day eating raspberries, she's certainly spent many after school snack times eating them. And well, butterflies... Bo, you see, is the butterfly WHISPERER.

Butterflies flock to her.

So do flies.

And crickets.

And all insect-sized creatures.

...And while both lists were certainly delightful and delicious and omg-i-can't-even-worthy, I was most taken aback by Revi's VERY FIRST bullet point which was:

Learn to skateboard.

Because she didn't get a skateboard for Christmas.

Bo did.

Bo, my uber-athlete, who taught herself to swim and was diving off the diving board at three years old. Bo, my leaping, kicking, wrestling, falling, never crying, always bleeding athlete got a skateboard for Christmas because she wanted one, yes. But also because I knew she could handle one.

Revi had never shown interest in skateboarding. On the contrary, she wanted a doll for Christmas. With a carseat. And a stroller. And little plastic bottles to feed her with. So that is what she got.

But when Bo started riding Christmas morning, Revi wondered where her board was. And why "BoBo got one" and not her.

My heart sank.

Having twins is tricky and while there is a part of me that wants to make sure they always HAVE THE SAME THINGS, there is another part of me that wants to MAKE SURE I am respecting their differences.

And Revi, while strong and daring in her own beautiful way, has always been keeper and caretaker... For example, Bo recently let us know that she wants to be a "motorcycle racer" when she grows up, to which Revi responded, "And I will the doctor who fixes your broken leg."

The two of them have always flexed different muscles when it comes to championing not just each other but themselves and because of that I assumed that Revi wouldn't want to skateboard.

I was wrong.

I was wrong to assume that Revi wouldn't want to bomb a hill, too. 

The past few months have proved that Bo isn't the only girl in this house who can fall hard and get back up. It turns out, we all can. And while Bo has a higher threshold for pain than, well... anyone I've ever known...  she isn't the only athlete in this house. Not even close.

And Revi isn't the only caretaker, either. 

Bo singlehandedly taught Revi how to skateboard, first by riding her scooter as Revi held on... and finally, by showing Revi how to place her feet on the skateboard... 

...so that she could balance when she was ready to let go.

And Revi? LOVES TO RIDE. She has incredible balance, knows how to fall without hurting herself and is as fearless as her twin sister when it comes to bombing hills. And I'm so proud of her. I'm  proud of her for going for it. And I'm proud of Bo for her guidance. And I'm proud of BOTH of them for going for it in their unique and powerful ways. 

I'm proud of them for proving me wrong and showing me what's RIGHT... for them.

Because skateboarding should be AND IS for everyone... not just the boys.

Or the naturally athletic girls.

Here's to girls -- may they play if they want to play, ride if they want to ride, run if they want to run, surf if they want to surf, all the while proving to parents and peers and each other that PLAY is for everyone.

That FALLING...

...and SCRAPING...

...and PUSHING...

...and HUSTLING...

...and GIVING UP and TRYING AGAIN...

...is for everyone.

May all girls challenge closed minds...

And teach their sisters to do the same.

Today, as part of the Girl Up and Win #GirlUpSweeps, in partnership with Niagara Water and Heather O'Reilly, I'm pleased to share this kickass video with you.

ED:  Watch with your kids if you can because, YES. Because YESYESYESYESYES.

I am EQUALLY pleased to offer a chance to win a scholarship to a soccer camp of your choice. (If you don't have a daughter(s), perhaps you know of a girl or a boy who would LOVE to attend soccer camp this summer!?)

To win? Upload an image of your girl(s) PLAYING SOCCER to twitter and/or instagram with the hashtag #GirlUpSweeps or submit your photo directly to the contest site. Tell us about your daughter(s), sister(s), niece(s), friend(s)... Show us how they run and jump and kick and slide and run and fall and get back up. Show us how they PLAY and inspire. Visit girlupandwin.com for official sweepstakes rules. This contest (as well as this post) have been sponsored by Niagara Water. KEEP KICKING ASS, GIRLS!