HOW A GIRL NEEDS TO BE RAISED
Women have a tremendous impact on society. They are the primary caretakers of children and elders in every country of the world. The contribution of women to a society’s transition from pre-literate to literate is undeniable. The median female share of the global workforce is 45.4 percent. Women’s formal and informal labor can transform a community from a relatively autonomous society to a participant in the national economy. That’s how important a woman is. She can make or break everything around her.
When a child is born, what panics any parent is the upbringing of the child. But, when it comes to the birth of a girl child, the worries double. Things just shift differently. I’m not saying girls aren’t loved. I’m just saying it is different for them. For starters, you might never read an article that says “How a boy should be raised”? Due to the wide prevalence of the social system, where boys are brought up and accepted as they are. Most of us girls are the privileged ones, we are loved (a little misses and discrimination here and there but kya kar sakte hai society ka pressure Bhi toh hai). But the fact is there are parents who (in the 21st century) treat boys as their child and girls as a liability.
“SOME MOTHERS RAISE THEIR DAUGHTERS BUT LOVE THEIR SONS” SAID JAWANZA KUNJUFU.
hmmm.
Obviously, every parent has the best intentions for their child, but sometimes it’s possible to unknowingly encourage stereotypes that can fence your girl. Gender stereotypes have been the main cause that hindered a girl’s development. We all are very much aware of the conditions of girls a few years back But if we look towards today’s scenario, a plethora of changes have surfaced partially. The last thirty years have seen an enormous shift that has begun to counteract the long imbalance in opportunity between the genders.
Women are important and these little girls are the future. Change in culture, society demands them to be raised stronger, better.
Purposeful, Abundant, Luminous, Loving, Confident, Compassionate, Peaceful, Courageous, Focussed, Persistent, Powerful, Healthy, Hardworking is what your girl needs to be. A person this perfect, with all these qualities. Here’s How
POSITIVE ATTITUDE
Positivity around a child is essential. Life’s harsh and sometimes we forget going easy around children. Every parent needs to give their child time and that too a happy one. A girl needs to have positivity around to understand it and know that family is all about positivity, encouragement, and getting the comfort she needs so that she doesn’t end up looking for it outside. Also, she knows what being in a happy, healthy, safe (positive surrounding) feels like.
“THE WORLD NEEDS STRONG WOMEN. WOMEN WHO WILL LIFT AND BUILD OTHERS, WHO WILL LOVE AND BE LOVED. WOMEN WHO LIVE BRAVELY BOTH TENDER AND FIERCE. WOMEN OF INDOMITABLE WILL”.
LET HER BE INDEPENDENT
Why do we tend to forget that girls are no less than boys? Somewhere, we all observe that girls are taught to be dependent. On parents, brother, family, or any other man but not on themselves. Parents take away liberty from girls and not from boys. Instead of teaching her to be dependent on others for money, career, emotional support, personal faith, beliefs, liberty, happiness, success, etc, they should be taught to be independent. Let them be whatever they want to be. stopping them will only make them weak.
Independent girls become are undoubtedly more confident about handling issues affecting their lives. This is mainly because they are more prepared to take action and do things without having to wait for support or permission from someone else.
Being independent therefore means that they will be more likely to try out new things that they want, rather than what or how they are expected to.
Let her get on her feet, rise, and fly.
TEACH HER TO SPEAK UP FOR INTOLERANCE
We have always heard of saying, “A girl should be tolerant and adjust herself according to others.” But we don’t do the same for the boys. Do we ever hear boys being tolerant?
They should be taught not to tolerate anything wrong, not in society let alone be with themselves. If anyone serves them with disrespect or dishonesty, they should be able to fight it. They should know right and wrong and not tolerate anything that hampers them. The only people who can impactfully teach a child and mold his/her opinion are the parents.
Schools and educational institutions have taken initiative in boosting the morale of girls and teaching them good and bad touch. But they absorb things around them. Women in the family need to be stronger to make their little girls understand things and they should be intolerant too. You need to be a strong woman to be one.
TEACH MORE EQUALITY THAN FEMINISM
If someone brings up the topic of gender preference, do you react by saying, ‘Gender preference? Really? Isn’t it a thing of the past?’ Every individual should be taught to be indifferent towards each other irrespective of gender. Now the deal with feminism is empowering women. Meaning, giving them special treatment or treating them differently.
Whereas what it should be is equality; politically, culturally, socially.
SCOUT OUT HER PASSION
Girls possess qualities like perseverance, a nurturing spirit, empathy, sensitivity which, when combined with passion, zeal, and hard work will bring different results. With such strengths that girls possess, why do they continue to be sidelined? Parents have to be their pillars when it comes to a girl’s passion.
Also, give them freedom of choice. Their voices matter, women are distinguishing as achievers in every field and most of them did it by choice(not parents pressure). Imposing parents’ expectations can override innate interests. As parents, you should encourage her passion and embrace it.
Girls may look up to a vast majority of successful women; Indra Nooyi, Sara Blakely, notable athletes; Sania Mirza, Sarah Hughes, CEO’S; Mary Barra, Patti Poppe, Politicians; Sarah Palin, Hema Malini, Philosophers; Iris Murdoch, Naomi Zack.
“I figure, if a girl wants to be a legend, she should go ahead and be one.” CALAMITY JANE
SPLINTER STEREOTYPES-
Do you want to make sure the girls in your life are raised in a way that they can do anything they want? Then it’s time to flex my mind and start splintering stereotypes.
Harmful traditional values and beliefs like son preference forced marriages and female genital mutilation still affect girls around the world and have dealt an enormous blow to their self-esteem and ability to succeed. These traditions must be abolished as soon as possible.
Commercials and products have become more divided by gender, we see those pink princesses skirts and blue trucks, not only in the toy aisle but also on cups and toothbrushes.
No wonder these things end up aligning stereotypes that need to be busted.
“As long as she thinks of a man, nobody objects to a woman thinking.”
―
EMPOWER EVERY GIRL
Brigham Young once said, “You educate a man, you educate a man. You educate a woman, you educate a generation.” By bringing up daughters with the right values and education, parents can kick-start the change and create a change-maker. 
Teach her to take care of herself. Tell her that she is no less capable, they are just made to believe so.
“I raise up my voice – not so I can shout, but so those without a voice can be heard… We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.”
– Malala Yousafzai
These efforts must aim at girls’ mentality from ‘I can’t do this’ to ‘I can do this’. Empowering girls should have happened much earlier but still, it’s not late to begin. Each parent should provide education to them irrespective of class and society, appreciate them, give space for their dreams, and celebrate their success.
