How to Raise a Confident Daughter

As a teen-ager, I remember struggling with self-esteem and confidence and these issues stayed with me well into my late 20s. In fact, I didnt really begin to believe in myself, especially as a mother and wife, until my early 30s. Being the mom of a 9-year-old girl, one of the most important characteristics I wanted to instill in her was confidence. Since my daughter was a toddler I have worked on building her character as well as her self-esteem. Today, I am happy to report that she is one of the most confident little girls you will ever meet. My hope is that giving her such a strong foundation of who she is will help her now and for the rest of her life as well. Below, I have listed my personal recommendations for how to raise a confident daughter.

My Daughter is So Much More Than How She Looks

Sure, I tell my daughter she is beautiful, but I also make sure to remind her that she is much more than just her physical being. While being a beautiful person has its perks, being a beautiful person on the inside is actually more important. I also take the time to point out that she is is smart, funny, athletic, and confident. Recently, my daughter was upset because friends at school had called her weird. My response was if you are going to be weird be confident about it. This made her feel much better about the situation and reinforces what we have told her since she was little; she can be anything she wants.

Praise her Accomplishments

When my daughter brings home papers from school or does well at gymnastics, I don’t just say “good job.” Instead, I make sure to praise her specific accomplishments. For instance, when she aces a test, I tell her I’m proud of the way she studied and when she gets a tough trick at gymnastics, I remind her that she put a lot of work in at the gym to earn that trick. I do this because I want her to know that I know what she likes, I understand her life, and I’m always going to be there for her.

Many daughters feel pressure to be just like their mother. In our family, I want my daughter to know that we are different and that is okay. I often point out how we are different in a positive way. For example, my daughter loves to hunt with her dad and I rather curl up on the couch with a book. I want her to know that she can be anybody she wants to be and doesn’t have to be just like me.