Raising Powerful Girls

How do you raise a powerful girl and what does that mean?

Powerful girls grow up feeling secure in themselves.

They learn to take action  — making positive choices
about their own lives and doing positive things for others.

They think critically about the world around them.

They express their feelings and acknowledge
the feelings and thoughts of others in caring ways.

Powerful girls feel good about themselves and grow up with a “can-do” attitude.

Of course, strong girls may (like all of us) have times of insecurity and self-doubt, but these feelings aren’t paralyzing because they’ve learned to work through problems.

Powerful girls will grow up to lead full, valuable lives.

Here are some experts’ ideas to help you raise powerful daughters.

1. Encourage your daughter to pursue a passion.

2. Let her have a VOICE in making decisions.

3. Identify the VALUES most important to your family.

4. Encourage her to solve issues on her own rather than fixing things for her.

5. Encourage her to take  risks.

6. Get girls working together. 

7. Let your daughter know you love her because of who she is,
not because of what she weighs or how she looks.

BONUS:  See how one Dad did this for his daughters >

8. Help her process the messages in the media. 

9. Make regular time to LISTEN to your girl.

10. LISTEN more than you talk.

“When we LISTEN to (girls), they think about what they are saying, and they tend to reflect more,” says Lawrence Cohen, Ph.D., co-author of Mom, They’re Teasing Me. “We need to stay calm and listen to what they’re experiencing without projecting our own experiences onto theirs.”

“Your daughter is having a different experience than you did.
After all, she has something you didn’t have: YOU.”

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What do you think about the advice from these experts?   

(let us know in the comments below!) 

4GGL thanks PBS Family for these expert ideas!

PBS Parents is a trusted resource that’s filled with information on child development and early learning. It also serves as a parent’s window to the world of PBS KIDS, offering access to educational games and activities inspired by PBS KIDS programs.