Raising Baby Girls

One of the followers of my blog tweeted a statement on twitter, that made me respect her so much more. "I tell my daughter all the time that she is beautiful and does not need make-up, although she still wants to wear it." If that isn't an example of what a parent should be doing as part of raising a daughter I don't know what is. Telling your daughter she is beautiful, praising her for each accomplishment and just showing her lots of love at home does take part in preventing her from trying to find love elsewhere. Telling your daughter she does not need to wear tight clothing, gobs of makeup or spike heels as a teen to gain attention from the opposite sex is part of raising a baby girl into a confident young lady.
   I did not have that growing up in my mother's household, as a young teen or a middle school student. My mother let me know every day that I was ugly, stupid, and had no purpose here on earth. She let me know everyday that she hated the fact that I was born, and that she wished she never had me. And when I lived with my maternal grandmother in H.S she told me everyday that I would be a no good crack whore like my mother. I only felt good about myself because of what the boys told me at school, and I didn't start understanding  that I don't need a man to validate my self-worth until I had to learn a lot of lessons from mistakes I had made in my early teens and the beginning of my twenties.
  I used to ask myself, and try to understand why these circumstances happend to me, but I am very happy they did happen to me. Because when and if I do have a daughter of my own I can love on her, learn her and teach her the right way of life. And to let her know each and every day that she is beautiful and to know that she is beautiful so that she does not have to look for love, and compliments in the wrong places. Many young girls wear revealing clothing to gain attention that they are lacking at home. Which also explains why many young ladies are allowing boys to run trains on them in bathroom stalls, or at their friend's house. They want to feel loved and accepted by anything. I commend all of the single parents out here that are raising daughters on their own and they are growing into respectable young ladies. You deserve an award.