The Challenges of Raising a Girl
Psychologist Steve Biddulph puts some of these challenges down to the rise of marketing and advertising, which has made it harder than ever to bring up girls
My then-three-year-old daughter got out of bed to go potty first thing one morning. We were both sound sleeping when my wife's sobs resounded as she emerged from the restroom. It sounded like your little one had just severed a leg, the kind of cries that make you freak out. In a hurry, we jumped out of bed and dashed to see what was wrong. What triggered the tantrum? The shoe basket should have been in the bathroom, but she found her shoes in there instead. This past week, after my daughter went to a day camp for a week, the tale came back to me. One of the employees noticed my kid was distressed and asked her why she was sobbing. "I don't know," my distraught daughter said. I just cry sometimes.
In your prayers, please keep me in mind. My daughter's emotions are out of control, and we haven't even hit puberty yet. It can be difficult to raise a girl. As a father, it might be challenging to empathize with a girl's experiences as she matures. Although every girl is special in her own way, these are some of the typical difficulties parents face when caring for their daughters.
The Drama
It is easy to become overly sensitive and hurtful when emotions run deep. Inconsistent actions, exaggerated reactions, and high levels of tension result from the absence of any rational thought or correct viewpoint. You might feel as if you have an exposed nerve in your home. As the number of daughters increases, so does the likelihood of drama. It requires understanding and tolerance. No matter how insane she seems, the wisest course of action is to make an effort to comprehend her. The odds are good that your kid will gravitate toward drama if she is often in the company of those who do. When things are calm,
girls who are naturally dramatic will find a way to make them more dramatic. Her urges can be negative if she doesn't figure out how to control them. She could find volunteer or paid work in an environment where she often has to mediate disputes among people whose emotions run high. She can satisfy her need for drama in that way while still enjoying a peaceful life with her loved ones.
Mean Girls
Of all people, other females are the most cruel to girls. They tear each other to shreds. It's a poisonous atmosphere where people talk trash about each other, criticize each other, shame each other's bodies, and engage in passive aggressive behavior. We must instill in them the values of detachment, understanding the underlying dynamics, forgiving, seeking forgiveness, and reconciling. When a parent immediately defends their child, it just serves to inflame the situation. They can't mend the relationship without our backing, but they also need our assistance in viewing things rationally. A girl in her adolescent years confided in me that she would be completely insane without her father to keep her in check.
Being Sexualized
Media portrayals of women teach her from a young age what she should strive to be. Our culture's ideals and those depictions of cuteness have a significant influence on our daughters. Our girls are taught at an early age that they must project a certain sexual image or face social exclusion, and this belief persists even when they are as young as twelve years old. To be liked is their deepest desire. My next point is not the place to remind our daughters of their worth; rather, it is from somewhere else.
Finding Value From Guys
Girls often confuse being noticed for being loved. Rather of being their lovely, genuine selves, they want to show off whatever makes men notice them. Keep her safe from harm. Determine the parameters for her social media attire and posts. Have a conversation with her about the message her appearance is sending and help her see things from the guy's point of view. Remind her of her endearing qualities when you inquire about her self-esteem.
Puberty
A daughter going through puberty is difficult for many reasons, including the physical changes and the emotional upheaval. But it's even more difficult when your relationship hits a rough patch. From being daddy's little girl to acting strange with us, it happens out of nowhere. When people stop wanting to be seen with us or pull away, it hurts. Fortunately, it's usually only a phase. It might be a rough few years, but she'll be back.