Raising Savvy Daughters
Hannah from Australia
A reader from Australia sent this picture of her daughter, Hannah. She says she cannot get Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich out of Hannah’s hands (despite the fact that Hannah can’t yet read). Well I say, you can never start them too young learning about money and leading.
I’m often asked what parents can do to raise self-confident daughters. Besides putting a copy of my books in her hands before the age of three, here are more practical tips to consider:
1. Read Nurture by Nature. Based on the Myers Briggs personality profiles, it will help you to understand the basic nature of your child and allow you to nurture it. The authors believe that self-confidence comes from being allowed to follow your true nature.
2. Give your daughters an allowance from an early age. Even if it’s only a small amount, teach your daughters the importance of money and how to save, invest, and spend it. While you’re at it, teach them that when it’s gone, it’s gone. No mid-week advances that are later forgiven. That’s not the real world.
3. Enroll your daughter in individual and team sports. It can be a sport of her choice, but it’s important to learn how to compete to win and how to be a member of a team.
4. Consider an all girls school. Studies show that girls who graduate from same-sex schools are more confident and more likely to be future leaders than those who attend co-ed schools.
5. Sign your daughter up for a self-defense class. Not only will she be able to physically protect herself, but the lessons learned will translate into confidence in other arenas too.
TAGS: girls and money, girls and same sex schools, girls and sports, Raising Girls, self-defense
I believe in single sex schools, especially for bright, motivated girls who can excel around other girls and not be concerned about intimidation from boys. I have raised one magnificent daughter who was bright, precious, alert and not afraid to take risks from the day she was born–flew down slides that were >10ft high at the age of 3. She was intellectually ready for first grade at the age of 4 but I think it is very important to balance the personal and social development with the intellectual. I did not let her skip ahead a grade, but rather sought out rigorous, single-sex schools that would channel her intellectural curiosity and artistic talents. After 8 years at one all girls school, she changed to another one in town and it gave her a whole new opportunity to challenge herself, excel, and take math with juniors and seniors when she was a freshman. She overcame all odds because she always believed in herself. If you can stand out amongst the girls of middle school and high school (the cat fight years) you can make it anywhere. And, now she is finishing her last term at Harvard and will be working in NYC after graduationat Lehman Brothers. Carol knows my daughter very well and has witnessed her grow up into a sophisticated, well-educated, articulate young lady. She is Elizabeth’s adopted God Mother and Confirmation sponsor.
Comment by cmsdms — March 2, 2008 @ 8:10 pm
I am all for savvy daughters, and same-sex education does seem to have its proponents and its success stories. I have spent the last week reading over the research (which is highly inconclusive and seems only to agree that more research is needed), and there is one factor I am disturbed by: I have yet to see a single report, study, paper, blog entry, or forum post actually addressing trans gendered students. And I want to know why. Some of our daughters may not have begun life as “daughters” in the traditional sense, but if they have the fortitude and maturity to declare their gender identity early enough, should they not be allowed to attend an all girls school? And what of the reverse? If a girl currently enrolled in single sex schools comes out as trans gendered, will “he” be kicked out of the school? If we accept the fluidic nature of gender, seems to me that trans gendered students are the elephant in the room of single sex education and no one seems to want to talk about it.
Comment by Kionon — March 4, 2008 @ 10:02 pm