It’s every parent’s dream to be able to see their young daughter thrive on her own. And as lovely as it seems, helping a young girl develop her own personality takes a lot of work and training. Parents need to be patient enough to guide their young girls while also letting them go once in a while, so they can move on their own.
So, here are five tips as to how you can help your daughter create her own personality.
5 Teach Her To Focus On Her Well-Being
One great piece of advice shared by Audrey Monke of the Sunshine Parenting Blog is to teach your child to focus on her overall well-being as a person, rather than her looks, perfection, and popularity. Through this way, our young girls would learn what really matters in life, which is internal happiness and peace of mind.
So, as early as possible, train your daughter that yes, good looks can be important and can be a source of confidence. But, what matters more is how she feels inside. It’s important that she knows that her self-worth and beauty is not just based on looks; but rather, her whole personality, how she treats others, and how she positively contributes to the world.
4 Help Her Discover Her Strengths
What does your daughter enjoy doing? Is she into sports? Or does she enjoy being creative with writing or painting? Whatever it is, always support your child’s interests and abilities because these formulate her natural strengths. One of the greatest gifts that a parent can give her child is to let her blossom and pursue her own interests.
So, aside from school, enroll her in the clubs she says she will enjoy the most. Let her develop her own skills and talents. This will help her get to know herself better, too.
Aside from developing her skills, it would also help to always remind her to focus on her strengths and not on other people’s abilities. Remind her that every person is unique and that we all have our special skills. By doing this, she would learn how to be confident on her own and not feel inferior just because other people thrive differently.
3 Let Her Make Her Own Decisions
Aside from letting her nourish her own abilities, it would also be helpful to let your daughter make her own decisions from time to time. Let her be independent. Doing so will help her feel in charge of her own life. It will also help her control her emotions. Plus, it would also help her practice her decision-making skills.
For example, if your child is already big enough, let her decide which clothes she wants to wear when going out. Does she like wearing girly skirts and shorts? Or is she into shirts and pants? Let her choose her clothes, and respect her style. If your daughter is already a teenager, let her choose the degree that she wants to take if she would like to pursue college. Always remember that your daughter is not an extension of you. So, always guide her, but let her make her own decisions.
2 Assign Her A Leadership Role At Home
Leadership instills confidence in a person. And according to Penn State University Better Kid Care, by being a key figure of authority, a young girl can learn how to properly control a scenario and make things happen. It can also teach a child to collaborate with others. So, as early as possible, help your child develop her leadership potential at home!
You can do this by assigning her household activities. For example, every weekend, you can assign your daughter to be the leader in the kitchen. Let her decide which dishes to cook, what ingredients to buy, and how to clean up afterward. And during the weekdays, assign her to collaborate with her siblings to finish household chores. Doing these simple tasks will train her how to work with others as a team.
1 Always Remind Her To Work Hard
To be your own person entails knowing how to work independently. It means being able to persevere, work hard, and be persistent on your own. By training your daughter to work hard instead of always depending on you, she will learn how to plan, prepare, and pursue her own long-term goals independently. She will also learn how to discipline herself and delay gratification.
According to Child Mind Institute, one technique to train kids and teenagers to work hard is by rewarding their effort instead of the outcome. Help them see the bigger picture and let them make mistakes. These will help them appreciate the value of pushing themselves as a way of being in charge and responsible for their future.
Sources: Sunshine Parenting Blog, Penn State University Better Kid Care, Child Mind Institute