As a parent, you want your daughter to grow up to be whatever her heart desires: a leader, a mother, a partner, a CEO, a teacher, and the list goes on. Luckily, in this day and age, she can be all of the above and more. On International Women’s Day, we want to celebrate all the women who’ve broken down barriers and dared to go where no women have gone before—opening doors to allow your little girl to follow in their footsteps.

As a society, we’ve come undeniably far from the times when women were kept in the dark about anything and everything related to finances. And we believe in acknowledging that progress on International Women’s Day. Women are now excelling in all fields while taking care of their own money, and young girls can look to countless role models for inspiration and representation. The sky’s the limit for the next generation of powerful girls, and it’s up to us to get them ready to fly.

If we want to ensure our daughters grow up to be independent, successful women, we have to equip them with the necessary tools to become financially savvy, as the two no doubt go hand in hand. Even if they have no interest in becoming an accountant or investment banker, being money-minded can help them advocate for themselves when it comes to salary—and even bring us closer to closing the gender wage gap.

So let’s arm our daughters and all our children -with the knowledge and tools they need to be financially literate. Fortunately, plenty of Canadian women are showing us how it’s done.

Just look at Janet De Silva, president and CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade, who is currently in the process of turning Toronto into one of the most competitive and sought-after business regions in the world. Or Carolyn A. Wilkins, Senior Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada, who oversees the bank’s strategic planning as well as economic and financial research. Or Samra Zafar, an award-winning speaker, author and human rights advocate who was named the top student in economics during her time at the University of Toronto, and was the recipient of over a dozen awards and scholarships.

The possibilities for our daughters are endless, and the ball’s in your court to help your child get ahead by building a foundation of financial literacy sooner rather than later. There are a number of ways to begin teaching them about money from as young as three years old, such as creating a pretend store at home and playing money-themed board games.

Another way to help ensure your daughter will excel financially is to help her avoid student loan debt by investing in a Registered Education Savings Plan. Opening an RESP early on will help you save for her post-secondary education, so she can focus on what really matters: pursuing her dreams by going after a career that makes her feel fulfilled and brings her joy.

We’re proud to offer flexible RESPs that help you benefit from government-matching grants, tax-sheltered growth, and more. It only takes five minutes and as little as $10 to start your CST Spark RESP, and you can do it from the comfort of your favourite seat at home.

At CST Spark, we couldn’t be more proud to play a role in helping the next generation of women become more empowered, successful and educated than ever before. And it all begins with opening an RESP for your little girl.

Have questions? Visit our website for more info or chat with us, 6 days a week.

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