Teach your daughter skills she’ll never forget
As we mark International Women’s Day, I will make my contribution to this cause by raising a daughter who will be a doer and not a me-tooer.
She recently celebrated her eighth birthday, and as we happily flipped through the family photo album, we came across photographs of her cousin — now 19 years —when she was the same age as my daughter.
It occurred to me that there are 11 years left until she reaches my niece’s age.
Although most women are like servants when it comes to multi-tasking, the rate at which time is flying, there isn’t much left to teach her important life skills, which in essence is my duty.
There are girls within our borders who lack even the most basic necessities.
My daughter should learn to show gratitude for the blessings in her life as well as discover her God-given talents and use them to help the less fortunate in society.
While I will not encourage her to take modesty to the level where she will be unable to say ‘No’ when she should, I must, however, instill in her a modicum of humility.
I want her to know that she is stronger, smarter, and braver than she thinks. And as most women are.
I usually come across as an introvert, but when my third child was born with a congenital defect which translated into months of hospitalisation and years of physiotherapy, the ‘real me’ emerged; full of faith and determined to be a pillar for my family during those trying times.
My little girl should understand that she will face challenges in life, and that there are people around her who will support her during these times.
“Newton’s Third Law of Conversation, if it existed, would hold that every statement implies an equal and opposite statement.”
This quote by Hugh Laurie, will teach my daughter to think before she speaks.
Losing one’s temper in hairy situations is perfectly natural; the skill is in not putting both feet in your angry mouth, which will only cause you and those close to you embarrassment.
If I am able to hold my tongue when I am angry, then it is only natural that she will follow my lead.
Hectic schedules
Most parents are swamped by hectic schedules which begin at daybreak and end very late in the night.
But even as we scamper around trying to keep up with the other rodents in this rat race, we must remember to impart a few basic skills in our children while preparing them for a life on their own.
Cooking should be top among these life skills; and not just boiling eggs or brewing tea, but putting together a real, mouth-watering meal.
I am guilty of not calling my own mother as often as I should.
As I work towards righting this injustice, I should teach my daughter that she must make time for her mother in the midst of perfecting the uniquely feminine art of accomplishing 365 days’ worth of duties in a fraction of that time.