While it might not seem like something that is ‘common’ in this day and age, parents who teach their daughters to be housewives instead of helping them become who they want to be are still present in this world. Many young girls are taught to focus more on household tasks and being able to take care of others than they are how important their education is and their dreams.
If you’re the mother or father of a daughter, you need to be sure that you’re putting focus on the right areas. Sure, in the end, your daughter is going to do what she wants but rather than trying to make her into someone she’s not, help her discover herself. Help her to figure out what she wants in life and what areas she needs to focus on. If she wants to be a scientist, push her to do more regarding her schooling and make sure you’re putting up money for her education in the future. That being said, if she wants to open a bakery and pursue something along those likes, don’t dismiss her dreams.
While it might seem like the world itself is much more forward-thinking in current times, there are still people who will try to belittle her and make her think she is not capable of the things she wants in life. It is up to you as her parent to make sure she knows those people are full of bullshit and that she can do anything she puts her mind to.
She doesn’t have to be just like all the other girls, and she damn sure doesn’t have to be thin and ready to get married and start making babies once she gets out of high school. She can be whatever she wants to be and if she never wants to give you grandkids then that is something you need to accept. She’s her own person and just because you’re her mother or father does not mean you get to decide what her future is going to play out as. She will be a strong capable woman if you allow her to be.
Once she becomes an adult she is going to be out there in this world doing what she thinks is best for herself and there is nothing wrong with that. As her parent, you need to help her be more aware of her strengths and allow her to work on her weaknesses more properly. She doesn’t need to rely on other people to be happy and comfortable, she can find all that she could ever want or need on her own.
As someone who cares for her and wants the best for her, you should help her to aim as high as she can but also remain realistic. Teach her that we all fail sometimes and that there is nothing wrong with redoing things and making the changes that need to be made. Help her choose things to do as she grows that allow her to figure out what she enjoys in life. Make sure she knows that she can come to you to talk no matter what she is dealing with and really nurture your connection.
Don’t dismiss her emotions or make her feel like she’s not good enough. She will always look to you for guidance and you need to be sure you’re guiding her in the right ways. As your daughter, she wants you to help her become the best person she can be. Not all women grow up, get married, and live that kind of life. She can be anything she wants to be whether she’s married or not and you need to make sure that you’re clarifying that day in and day out.