I tried to ask her why she would ever think that about herself, and she said: “That’s what daddy says so it must be true.” My heart sank as she told me this. I knew her father could be harsh, but I never realized how deeply his words were affecting her. She was only seven years old and already believed she was stupid. I felt helpless as a mother, not knowing how to fix the damage that had already been done. Every day, I watched my little girl’s confidence diminish before my very eyes, and I blamed myself for not protecting her better. The weight of my failure as a mother weighed heavily on my shoulders as I watched her struggle.
