Children are the pillars of the future. Parents must give them proper upbringing. Whether a girl or a boy, right parenting is required.  Being the right parent, we must raise our kids to believe in their full potential and nurture innate traits like perseverance, a nurturing spirit, empathy, sensitivity instead of turning them diffident. Right grooming in present will turn them change-makers in future.

We have heard people saying raising a girl in India is challenging, is it really true?

In India, socio-culture system varies from region to region. There are various common beliefs about girls – some treat her as an omen and some takes her as a burdensome liability. Boys are professed as the alpha.  This gender based discrimination is not only in India but also it’s a global plague.  From the very childhood, girls are tagged as weak, they are made feel weak and so they turn. We need to overcome such differentiation & make her believe in herself.

Being a mother of a girl & a native of the country of heroines like Kalpana Chawla, I strictly strike down such old stereotypes. Parents especially mothers are the most powerful influence and we need to fight hard for changing the current scenario.  I convict that developing the right moral sense & self-esteem is a must, whether you are raising a boy or a girl, a kid is kid after-all!

Though a girl is different from a boy in many aspects, she sometimes needs a special upbringing. Girls are now making strides in all fields, what needed is only a right care & attention. Provide her the correct up-keeping and nutrition so that she can become a future star.

While raising up a girl child you must keep in mind to give her a blend of traditional and modern values to help develop as a well-rounded self.

1. 1. Encourage her to be assertive & stand her ground: Teach her to be expressive enough so she can express her needs & empathy. After all, her feelings are never meant to be hurt by anyone. She must be courageous enough to stand for her feelings.

 

1. 1. Timely appreciate her good endeavors; keep in mind your praise match reality: You need to more specific in your compliments. After all, childhood is the age when she starts developing sense of uniqueness & self-esteem.

 

1. 1. Praise her imperfections, sometimes being imperfect is perfect: Instead of being bossy and criticize her imperfections conventionally, be gentle help her gradually learn & correct her mistakes. Girls are not born to be perfectionists, help her improve & compliment her on even minute improvements

 

1. 1. Encourage the feelings of competence in her: Don’t make assumptions that she is incapable & feeble, Let her finish her work by own. Give her space to put her best efforts to get the task completed.

 

1. 1. Make her pursue her passion: Help her overcome the barriers that are coming in her way & help her achieve and accomplish her dreams.

 

1. 1. Make her feel beautiful: Help her love her looks and make her understand that her true worth lies in her inner beauty. Don’t focus on outer beauty and femininity, encourage a healthy body image instead. Teach her being caring, empathetic, and sympathetic instead of being a phony.

 

1. 1. Don’t support her stubbornness: If all her wishes would be fulfilled, she would not be able to fight the adverse in future. Don’t support all her imprudent demands. Make her feel the right difference between fantasy & reality.

 

1. 1. Don’t overdo pampering her. Don’t groom her as a Disney princess. She needs to be strong enough so that she can confidently walk out in the world alone!

 

1. 1. Develop a sense of decision making in her:  What’s wrong, what’s right – let her decide. Just assist her in what she is doing & don’t make her concealed from the consequence of even a single wrong step. After-all we don’t want her to lead a mischance in future.

 

1. 1. Don’t be overprotective, make her powerful: Inculcate right virtues to make her strong enough to face the world, stand for right and oppose the immoral.

 

1. 1. Bid her the best academic & extra-curricular opportunities: Provide her the best academic & extra-curricular amenities & help her at each step whether it’s a school function or some volunteer event.

 

1. 1. Get her outside for play: Let her play whatever she likes, whatever she is comfortable playing like. There is nothing like ‘Girl toys’ and ‘boy toys’. Do let her play with trucks and tools too. Let her do tree climbing and camping, if she loves to.

 

1. 1. Provide her good friend circle: Right friend following would help her develop the right virtues & sense of confidence.

 

1. 1. Make her feel the sense of equality & positive: Girls are not limited to “chulha choka” now they have reached space and stride cyberspace. Your little girl can be the future Kalpana Chawla, Sheryl Sandberg or Marissa Mayer!

 

1. Cool down and fuel her curiosity: Listen to her attentively what she really wants to convey! She might be hesitant sometimes in sharing something with you. Just take a deep breath, try to feel her thoughts and account her questions & fears.

Remember- for your little angle, you are the most beautiful & supporting person in the universe. Your words & deportment has a profound effect on her brain & thoughts. Don’t ever get stuck with concomitant feelings; be her best friend, be her mentor. Let her follow her dreams & beliefs. Just keep in mind you need not be a hyper parent while raising a girl child, all you need to do is to maintain a healthy balance to raise a strong & confident women of the future.