Respect girls to improve their self-worth

A depressed teenage girl.
Photo credit: Shutterstock

What you need to know:

  • We should rise above gender discrimination and try to teach girls small tasks.
  • Empowering women and girls is perhaps one of the most effective things a nation can do to grow its society.

Parent-instilled self-confidence is a blessing and key to success for children, especially girls. It enhances personality, develops positive energy, and helps build character.

Believing in oneself makes life's problems seem small. The liveliness increases significantly. Parents must always maintain self-confidence, even if they are unable to provide certain facilities. Teachers can also boost children's morale, along with parents.

Girls also desire to be treated with respect. It is important to acknowledge and commend their positive actions as a means of fostering motivation. If an individual commits an error, it does not necessarily imply a lack of intelligence on their part. It's crucial to let people know that even those who make an effort to complete tasks can make mistakes.

It is advisable to make efforts to progress by rectifying the error, and for girls to refrain from developing a habit of solitude, as engaging in social interactions fosters the growth of self-assurance. Individuals make efforts to adjust to life by acquiring new knowledge or skills.

Sometimes even small responsibilities teach deep life lessons. At this time, we should rise above gender discrimination and try to teach girls small tasks. Working with the mother in the kitchen too, taking care of her own things, taking care of younger siblings, etc.

Equal opportunities

It is imperative that girls and non-binary youth are provided with the necessary support and resources to cultivate a sense of empowerment and worth. By ensuring they are afforded equal opportunities, we can pave the way for them to emerge as the leaders of tomorrow. You have the ability to assist them in reaching their goal.

The influence of societal teachings that encourage girls to conform to restrictive gender roles and prioritise their appearance has a detrimental impact on their academic achievements and professional ambitions.

According to research, it has been observed that female individuals who exhibit elevated levels of "internalised sexualisation," which refers to the perception that sexual attractiveness holds significant value in their sense of self, tend to achieve lower academic grades compared to their counterparts.

Empowering women and ensuring they have improved equal rights is perhaps one of the most effective things any nation can do to contribute to the growth of society.

On the other hand, energy flows through their small efforts. Parents should also take care not to give excessive and false praise, because often children become overconfident, due to which they sometimes have trouble coping with the situation.

Every girl has some hidden talent; try to identify it from childhood and help her master it. Take care of the small needs associated with her and always encourage her to move forward. The most important thing is to give her the freedom to choose her career.

Never try to impose your will on her. Girls also have some dreams; give advice and support to fulfil them. But do not force yourself to adopt a particular profession. Be sure to take care of her choices, give your support, and encourage her to make life decisions.

Don't constantly compare her with your son or others. One can sing well, and the other can dance well. Comparison hurts children, and they start to feel inferior. So always be around her, give her freedom, but also keep an eye on her and other children when needed.

In the age of social media, children's physical exercise has decreased a lot. Earlier, they used to learn a lot in sports. But now they are becoming impatient and irritated. Nowadays, they need a lot of guidance from their parents.

Encourage children, especially the girls, towards sports and also make them aware of yoga and meditation. Be sure to tell about the evils prevalent in society, especially the harm of drugs, rapes, wrongdoing, and criminals. Respond to everything girls say, never try to ignore her, because only parents can motivate her to move forward.

Girls are also an important part of the family; they take her advice from time to time and share necessary information with each other. In this way, the girl considers herself an essential part of the family. It helps in creating physical and mental balance, due to which self-confidence increases manifold.

Rather than winning and losing, parents should trust the hard work of girls too, which gives them the strength to take all kinds of risks in life. First, school is her home, and parents and teachers should be role models for girls and make them confident to make their mark in every field so that when she grows up, she will shine the name of her parents, society, and country.

The writer is a veteran journalist and freelance writer based in Brampton, Canada.