February 02, 2017
Five ways to empower your daughter
Part of raising a daughter in 2017 is being very aware of the challenges she faces as a woman. Society tends to favor very specific gender roles, and when it comes to female empowerment, the expectations are not always positive. Women have been battling this since the beginning of time, and the issue is all the more present now. Whether it’s professionally, socially, physically, sexually, or emotionally — there are many judgments placed on how a woman should and shouldn’t act. So how do we, as their parents, teach them to be strong, independent, sure of themselves, and confident about their place in this world?
Here are a few tips:
- Don’t treat her differently. Part of the problem with how women are treated is the assumptions people make about women — what they’re interested in, how they’ll react to certain situations, their emotions and feelings. When it comes to your daughter, don’t make assumptions simply based on her gender. If she wants to do something a brother, or male cousin, or friend would do, don’t discourage her. Don’t force her to conform to certain “ladylike” standards that only apply to women. Treat her like an individual, of course, and don’t force her into things that don’t appeal to her, but don’t discourage her from things she’s interested in either, even if they’re things typically reserved for boys.
- Remind her that she can do anything. Empower her from the very beginning. Create a world for her in which nothing is off-limits. So often young girls are discouraged from pursuing certain passions or dreams, like running for office, because of their gender. Shred those boundaries. Give her the confidence to rule the world.
- Give merit to her ideas, and thoughts, and feelings. Don’t chalk up everything she says or feels to being “emotional,” or being a “woman.” When she is expressing herself about something, give it the credit it is due. Encourage her to speak, to share her feelings, to be emotional. Women are often discouraged from really expressing themselves, because it’s seen as weak. There is nothing weak about confidently speaking your mind, or feeling passionately about something.
- Eliminate gender roles in the home. Do your kids have assigned chores? Don’t force them to submit to tasks that are typically gendered. Let your daughter do yard work and your son fold the laundry, teach them both how to cook. Don’t make her feel like there are certain things she’s supposed to know or learn because she’s a woman. If you have the opportunity to push her away from stereotypes — do.
- Give her the gift of experience. We often treat our girls with a more precious hand than our boys. We worry about them, fret over them, don’t trust them to do the same things alone that a boy would. This is a powerful message to send, and it certainly doesn’t encourage them get out and build confidence. Don’t pull her out of things she wants to do because of her gender — unless of course you absolutely feel it is not safe and wouldn’t allow a child of either gender to participate. Does she want to play a rough and tumble sport, visit somewhere new, or do something alone? Let her! It may be tough for you, but it will be life-changing for her.
