How to be a good role model for your daughter

On many occasions, daughters want to copy the behavior of their mothers, this is undoubtedly very moving. Daughters become aware of their mothers’ behavior and their choices about how to be better and grow is by emulating maternal behavior. This makes the heart of any mother tremble and it is no wonder!

Children learn good behaviors by copying good examples, and mothers play a very important role in that . It is during the usual everyday moments that children become aware of what their mothers do or say. The problem is, you never know what they are fixing on … That is why it is important to control your own behavior and to begin to intentionally model the kind of behavior that you expect your daughter to copy. If you want to be a good example for your growing daughter … read on.

PUT ON YOUR OXYGEN MASK FIRST

This emergency flight mantra is the perfect metaphor to describe how mothers must take care of themselves before they can properly care for others. Sure, you’ll be a happier mom if you take the time to enjoy activities you love, like yoga , biking, reading, or just going for a walk. 

But you will also show your daughter the importance of taking care of yourself. There is so much pressure to put other people’s feelings and needs above our own, and we need to change the messages for the next generation of women. Simply put, you need to empathize with yourself in order to teach it to others. So book that massage or manicure or go to the library or coffee shop for an hour or two. Just be sure to tell your daughter where you are going and why: to be happy and healthy.

TAKE OFF YOUR SUPER MOM CAPE

Trying to tackle everything on your own not only leads to burnout, it shows your daughter that it’s okay to run and always be stressed. So ask for help, even from your daughter.  By asking your daughter for help, you not only get much-needed assistance, but you also show her that it is okay to ask for help and express what she wants and needs.

Teaching self-defense might mean making things harder for your daughter today (for example, doing homework), but it will eventually free her from the expectation that she has to do everything herself, ashamed to ask for help .

BE COMFORTABLE WITH YOURSELF, EVEN ON YOUR BAD DAYS

Most of us grow up thinking that to be a good girl, you have to have lots of friends , as well as conflict-free relationships. For many of us, we were raised avoiding conflict and passed this mindset on to our daughters. The Danger: When girls don’t learn to express disappointment, frustration, anger, or shame constructively, they often turn to toxic behaviors, such as gossip or bullying on social media, to deal with their emotions.

Conflict in our family, at work, and in our personal life is going to happen, so it is important that we show our daughters that facing it can really bring about positive change. If you have a disagreement with your partner, let your children listen to you speak quietly.

TAKE OUT YOUR STRENGTH AND BE KIND

It is important to show your daughter that you treat and speak to your friends and peers with respect. Avoid gossiping or embarrassing other moms, especially in front of your daughter. We must also advocate for other mothers who may be facing an incident that embarrasses mothers. Mothers’ shame cascades onto children, and then they learn that judging or bullying others is acceptable when interacting with their peers. Being nice also applies to how you talk to yourself and about yourself. Muttering self-deprecating comments is a form of self-shame. Teach your daughter to love herself … who suggests making an effort to replace comments like. “I need to lose 5 kilos before the meeting” with comments like “I love my hair and how my makeup turned out today.”

GET OFF THE PHONE

The daughters are learning to navigate technology by watching us . When you have a conversation with someone, be careful to put your phone down. Your daughter will see you having deep, face-to-face conversations, and will replicate it in her own life. You need to practice self-control and social media etiquette.

When you receive an irritable email or read an annoying social media post, instead of instantly responding in an angry tone or yelling at your phone, count to ten or walk away for a minute . This will help teach your daughter not only to be patient but not to fight fire with fire.

LOSE MOTHER’S GUILT

We want our daughters to find their future path that brings them joy and fuels their passion. Whether we stay at home, work full time, or something in between, we must share our successes with our daughters. Talking about what you love about your life, whether it includes a career or not, can reduce your guilt or conflict surrounding it. Plus, it will help your daughter recognize that girls have options. And that might be the biggest lesson yet …

BE YOURSELF

If something very important to be able to teach your daughter is that you have to be authentic to be happy . It is not necessary to pretend things that we are not to be accepted by others. If someone does not accept us as we are or they want to change us to conform to an unreal model to follow … that person simply does not deserve us.

We are people who deserve respect for others and to achieve this we must first learn to awaken ourselves. Women, like men, have a life full of opportunities and no one should make us feel less alone because we were born of one sex or another. We all have the trying force, we just have to know that we have it to get it out.