"What? Cheer? You don't want to be a cheerleader."

When that sentence escaped my brain to my tongue, I had to bite down- hard. "Let her be who she wants to be" I swallowed, changing my train of thought.

Believing that my children have their own niches, talents and skills; it is my job as their mother to help provide which ever opportunity they might find to seek them. Even that of cheerleading with its' blinding white shoes, hair ribbons, plastered smiles and toe touching entertainment.

"But what about dance, you loved it last year", I begged.

Secretly I was hoping my daughter(s) (my flesh and blood!) would avoid such a desire as cheerleading. Slying away from the epitome of the teenage drama world. Instead one has jumped right in a few years prematurely. Pre, preteen prematurely, and my heart aches a little each time I proudly smile watching my little cheerleader rallying onto the court with her smile and perfected cartwheels.

"Mom, our cheer coach says I have the loudest clap! See you cup your hands like this...clup, Clup, CLUP!".

My aversion to cheerleading is rooted deeply. Stereotypes maybe? Labels? The attraction of disgusting males who demean the sport? Wanting my daughters to have confidence entirely independent of how people view/react to them seems a juxtaposition to cheerleading. This is where my trouble lies.

"Don't forget to smile and have strong arms" I remind her while fixing her hair and make-up.

Believing my child is more than a pretty smile who can yell and clap loud, lightens me up a bit. Watching my baby have the time of her life stomping, clapping, rallying and yelling a pretend team on to victory diminishes my preconceived "Cheerleader" label.

Demonstrating her love for cheerleading, Aspen has reminded me to drop the stereotypes and labels I place on people. She's reminded me to take that a step further, to do what I love with no regard to stereotypes or labels. As females, we only place them on ourselves when we allow another voice to influence our own.

"Mom, that was fun! There was so many people!"