Two years ago, we celebrated International Women’s Day with Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls. We’re excited to say that this year, we’re focussing on Rebel Moms because after all, in every little Rebel Girl’s life, her mother is her first and most important role model!

If you know a Rebel Mom in your life, nominate her on our website and you both stand a chance to win a copy of the Rebel Girls book! In it you’ll find 100 varied and inspiring stories of women from Queen Elizabeth I to Malala Yousafzai. Many of the stories are about women who are also mothers, including Rebel Moms like Marie Curie, Michelle Obama, Mary Kom, Serena Williams and Maya Angelou.

But first, what is a Rebel Mom? While the word ‘rebel’ conjures a specific image, to us a Rebel Mom is not one that only chooses to take a different path, but is confident of all her choices, conventional or not. Motherhood is hard, full of big and small decisions and unasked for opinions. To do what you think is right, to trust your instincts takes a lot of courage. That’s a true rebel!

Unsplash: @standsome

These choices and decisions could be about anything. From homeschooling or traditional schooling, going against gender-specific pinks and blues, choosing to be a working mom or not, the list goes on. You may not do things the way other moms do and that’s ok because in watching you become independent and confident, the little girl you’re doing this for is growing up the same way. And after all, that’s how Rebel Girls are born. That’s what we want to celebrate.

And because being a mother is an endless balancing act, the best way to rebel against that is not to do it all yourself! Ask for help, be vocal about the not so sunshine-y days, break gender barriers within your home, take time for yourself, don’t be afraid to want more than motherhood. So you raise your daughter to know that if she chooses, she can do the same. That she can be whoever and whatever she wants and her opinions matter.

Unsplash: Simon Rae

So, to all the Rebel Moms out there, thank you for raising a generation of Rebel Girls. A very happy Women’s Day to all of you!