Family & Friends

For Fathers

• Listen to your daughter. Focus on what is really important - what your daughter thinks, believes, feels, dreams and does, rather than how she looks. You have a profound influence on how your daughter views herself. When you value your daughter for her true self, you give her confidence to use her talents in the world.
• Encourage her strength and celebrate her savvy. Help your daughter learn to recognize, resist and overcome barriers. Help her develop her strengths to achieve her goals.
• Urge her to love her body and discourage dieting. Growing girls need to eat often and in a healthy manner. Dieting increases the risks of eating disorders. Advertisers spend billions to convince your daughter that she does not look “right”. Do not buy into it. Tell your daughter that you love her for who she is, not for how she looks.
• Get involved in your daughter’s activities, school, and physical activities. Physically active girls are less likely to get pregnant, drop out of school, or put up with an abusive partner.
• Respect her uniqueness. See your daughter as a whole person, capable of anything, and make sure she knows that is how you see her. Your daughter is likely to choose a life partner who acts like you and has your values.