4 Ways To Raise Your Girls In Order To Help Them Reach Their Goals
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Honestly, there is no specific or best way to raise girls. Every girl is different and needs different things in order to motivate them to strive for success and reach their goals. But as women in society, there are certain obstacles that they may face, that others may not. And it is our job as parents to prepare our children for all the challenges that they will face, even if it’s unfairly based on their gender. Although we have made many strides in terms of gender equality in the last couple of years, there’s still a long way to go. So, how do you motivate your girls and help them reach their goals from an early age? Well, we’re here to shed some light on just that. Keep on reading to know more!
1. Praise Girls The Right Way
Every child needs encouragement and praise. But girls are usually praised or recognised for the way they look from an early age instead of the qualities and talents they possess. Think about it, most dolls that are “meant for girls’ ‘ really have no function other than just looking good or playing into conventional roles, like cooking that girls are supposed to take up as they grow older. But boys are allowed to have a whole range of toys that nurture their talents and skills. It’s your job as a parent to stop complimenting your child only on their appearance.
Sure, you can tell them that they are pretty. But don’t forget to acknowledge them in other areas as well. Maybe your child is tech savvy, great at sports, can sing really well or has an eye for detail and fashion. Pay attention to their creativity, ideas and behavior instead of what they look like first. The best thing you can do for your girls is to compliment the efforts they make in every area of their life. This will encourage them to develop further and really push their boundaries and limits.
2. Allow Her To Disagree With You
Having disputes with your children is extremely important. Sure, we don’t like it. But it teaches kids to value and voice out their own opinions. Allowing your daughter to have a discourse with you will teach her to be thoughtful, articulate and help her feel like she is worth paying attention to. Allow her to question your decision making and learn to think for herself. This way she won’t blindly follow her partner in the future and will learn to think for herself. She also won’t be afraid to share her ideas and perspectives which will help them in terms of their career, social life and even romantic life. Having a sensible conversation with your girls will also teach them to say “no” when they are uncomfortable with something. And you will learn many new things about your girls as well.
3. Encourage Her To Solve Her Own Issues
One reason parents often run to solve their daughter’s problems is because they think they are too weak or delicate to handle them. But your girl does not need you to coddle her or shelter her from the harsh realities of the world. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your kid is step aside, let them learn their lesson and have the faith that they will learn to rectify their own problems. Allowing your girls to cope with difficult situations is a great way for them to rehearse for real adulthood. And this doesn’t mean that they can’t come to you for comfort or help, but they must be the one to take initiative to solve their issues.
4. Teach Her To Take Risks
Life is full of risks so playing it safe is not going to cut it in every situation. Usually girls are taught to be stable and take the safe option but have you ever thought about how much that might limit your child? Not only will it damage their self confidence to go after what they want but it will deter them from having ambitious goals in the first place. It is your job as a parent to teach your kids to venture out of their comfort zone and face the consequences, good and bad. And this may seem scary at first, but you do need to encourage your girls to overcome their fears and strive for the things they really want out of life.
Raising girls in this world may seem challenging at times. But remember that they are more than capable of taking care of themselves and becoming successful and happy adults. All they need is a push in the right direction and a little encouragement.
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