Teaching girls they’re more than their appearances

Em

How do you approach the message of “you’re so pretty” and “you’re so beautiful” with your kid? My daughter is 3 and we’ve never focused on appearances in our home, but she’s picked up the message from family and daycare. Now she’ll put a necklace on or put a crown on her head and exclaim, “I’m SO beautiful!” I feel like it’s impossible to prevent our kids from being told they’re pretty/beautiful, but I don’t want my daughter to think that’s ALL she is. I don’t want her to think she’s beautiful because she puts on some jewelry or a colorful dress. I want her to know she’s beautiful as she is but even more importantly, she’s beautiful because of WHO she is. Her curiosity, kindness, compassion, energy, silliness, etc.

Would love some ideas on how to talk to our kids about this. I suppose all I can do is keep driving my own messages at home with her, but I just hope she doesn’t develop a self worth based on being beautiful.