If you have a little girl, congratulations! Raising an empowered and strong little girl will later on unleash and powerful woman for the universe to benefit from. Feel good knowing you are enriching a young girl’s heart and spirit and take heed to care intently for your daughter. Young girls as soon as they exit the womb, are hit with a multitude of conflicting messages:
- Be pretty.
- Don’t be too pretty.
- Be nice and bend over backwards for others.
- Follow the leader.
- Sugar & Spice and everything NICE.
You get the point. Our girls are constantly being told how to modify or restrict their behaviors. Your daughter has probably heard at least one thousand times how pretty she is by the time she is five, but how often has she been told how creative or smart she is? How strong? How skilled? Not nearly as much, that I can sadly guarantee. More people have commented on her shoes than they have the fact that your daughter can throw a ball like a champ or memorize a song in seconds. This means that as the parent of a daughter, you have a responsibility to instill self-esteem and character in her in a society that most likely, will value her face before they value the facts about what makes her heart, soul and mind. Here are four things you should tell your daughter– daily.
1. I Like How You Think
When your daughter finds a solution to a problem or shares her thoughts about whatever is going on in her world, whether she’s three or thirteen, tell her you like how she thinks. Tell her you like how she takes the time to think about what is going on her life. Ask her to tell you more. Put down the phone as you listen.
2. I Admire X
Whatever it is, tell your daughter how you admire her actions. Not her clothes.
Tell her you admire how she draws or how she is kind to friends. Tell her you admire that she didn’t give up trying to learn fractions.
Show her that you respect the way she conducts herself.
3. You Are Important to Me Because
Sorry not sorry but, just because you are someone’s parent does not mean that your child will innately know how important he or she is to you because you are mom and dad. Tell your daughter why she is important to you whether it’s the joy she brings you or the lessons she teaches you. Taking a moment to remind her that she is important will make her valued and loved.
4. I Believe You Can Do This or If You Try Hard Enough, You Can Do This
Showing your daughter you believe her abilities have no bounds, even when she is having a hard time shows her that you have faith that even if it takes extra work, she is capable.
Capable. Strong. Powerful.
Admire her strength and attitude, even when she’s giving you a hard time. Even when she is strong-willed or rebellious, admire that she wants to exert her will and ideas.
If you do this, you will unleash a strong little girl into the world who will eventually, become a damn good woman.