That's why I like the "Batgirl Begins" episode of The Batman so much. Yes, Barbara starts out doing it as a lark, but after she sames Jim from Poison Ivy, the last scene has her talking to Batman:
Batgirl: So, I guess you're going to tell him, right?
Batman: Not every child gets the opportunity to rescue their parent.
Since then, I've thought of Batgirl as a figure of hope. Because of Batman's inspiration, Barbara got to do the one thing Bruce can never do. *shrugs*