5 Ways to Raise Strong, Confident Daughters
Shout-out to the #girlmoms. As a great woman (aka Queen Bey) once said, “Who run the world? Girls!” We’re all about teaching our daughters to hold their heads high and take the world by storm. These are our five tips for raising strong, confident daughters.
1. Don’t raise her as a “pleaser.”
Encourage her to stand up for what she needs and wants.
Anea Bogue, MA, author of 9 Ways We Are Screwing Up Our Girls and How We Can Stop, advises, “Create opportunities for her to use her voice. Ask ‘What do you?’ Let her make a choice and then honor that choice.”
2. Start team sports early.
Let’s out those archaic, gendered notions that say sports are for boys. Research has shown that girls who play on teams have higher self-esteem.
3. Make sure she knows her worth is more than skin-deep.
Don’t just praise her physical appearance.
Compliments to help build self-esteem can include being kind, strong, brave, a hard worker, a good friend, funny, athletic, smart, fun, clever...the list goes on!
4. Help her build skills that are independent of appearance.
“Get her involved in activities that build a sense of confidence, rather than focusing on looking good and acquiring things,” Dr. Rooney suggests.
5. Show her strong role models.
If a girl sees confidence, leadership, and accomplishment in other women, she will envision herself with those qualities.
