Growing up is a part of life. You constantly are growing and getting older. When you are a parent, it is your job to guide and give advice to your daughter. She needs it. But you also need some advice on how to deal with all the growing up issues specific to girls. Here are some ideas for how to.
When girls go through puberty, it is a confusing time for everyone. You are worried about how your daughter will react and want to make sure that she knows what is going on and what to do. Give her the sex talk and let her know that you are open to talking more about it if she wants. Let her know that you are there for her. Just being there and being conscious of what is going on will help you and your daughter. You will both know that everything will be ok.
When your daughter starts to get more of a feminine figure, it can be very confusing for her. She will have friends who have already developed and those who haven’t yet. Help her by assuring her that it is normal, and that however she turns out she will be perfect. Shop with her often to make sure that she has clothes that fit her. If she changes really fast, she will need to buy a lot more clothes than normal. Be supportive. Kids take lots of money, so don’t be surprised to spend a lot more money on clothes one year than another.
When your daughter goes off to college, there will be many choices she will have to make. Help her with some and offer your help if she doesn’t ask for it. When you talk to her when she moves out, let her know that you love her, think she is so smart, and beautiful. Help her self esteem by telling her everything you love about her. Girls have a huge amount of temptations in college, and are still trying to figure out who they are. They need as much positive advice and help as possible. They will remember what you have taught them so don’t worry. Ultimately it is their decision what they do with their life, so the best thing you can do is to just support them and teach them from a young age about right and wrong.
When your daughter starts to think about marriage, have her write down what is important to her. If you can, have her do this before. Girls want different things than men do in a spouse. When she starts to seriously date, have her look at that list. Let her know that the only way she is going to get the man she wants is to date men like the one on the list.
When your daughter is going through life’s changes, just be there for her. Seeing her grow and develop into an adult is one of the most rewarding things as a parent. Teach her how to be strong and everything else she needs to know. Just relax. You have gone through so much, and letting your daughter know about your life and about what you have gone through will help her learn and develop into a wonderful person, thanks to you.
Parenting viewpoints from parents in the trenches, because parenting doesn’t come with a manual. In addition to