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BROWARD COUNTY, Florida (WFOR) — A Broward County educator and author is helping young children build confidence from an early age with a new book celebrating individuality.
Every child deserves to feel seen, valued, and confident. That’s the message Heather Binns hopes to share through her children’s book, Perfectly Made.
Inspired by conversations with her own daughter, the Broward County Public Schools administrator recently released the book, designed for children ages 4 to 8.
“I noticed my daughter was going to school, having issues with representation, and she was asking questions that I at the age of 4 or 5 was asking my own mother,” said Binns.
Binns shared the book with girls at the Embrace Girls Foundation, a nonprofit that invests in girls from underserved communities. She recently hosted a community event at the historic Lyric Theatre, celebrating literacy, confidence, and representation. She says confidence starts long before the teenage years.
“Why are we waiting until the girls become teenagers that we’re pouring into them when they’ve already compared themselves to the world, and they’re already allowing society to tell them who they are. If there’s an opportunity to tell them that they are loved, they are worthy and they are perfectly made, do it as early as possible,” said Binns.
It’s a message that resonates with her 6-year-old daughter, Carter.
“It makes me glad and happy,” she said.
And with community leaders like the former director of the Miami-Dade Police Department, Stephanie Daniels, who purchased books for every girl attending the event.
“The young girls can find some commonality in the book. By reading this book, and understanding who they are, and again not comparing themselves to other people,” Daniels said.
Binns hopes the book encourages families to start conversations about self-worth early, reminding every child they are uniquely made and worthy of confidence from the very beginning.
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