The Best Way for Your 10 Year Old Daughter to Find Out Her True Talents
The three main mental health issues that affect young girls include depression, low self-esteem and sleep disorders, according to the New York University Child Study Center. You can help your 10-year-old daughter combat some of these issues by helping her find her true talents and gifts. As she develops increased self-confidence, which is important during the pre-teen years, she will struggle less with body image. She can focus on the strengths inside her that make her special.
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Instructions
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Speak positive, encouraging statements about your daughter and to her. Let her know you have a lot of confidence in her. Give her specific examples of things she did well by saying things such as, "Wow, I really liked how hard you worked on your report and the creativity you used in your illustrations. Did you notice how that influenced your grade?" Encouragement such as this emphasizes not just the grade but what she did to earn the grade.
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If you are her mother, your daughter is looking to you for advice and as a role model. Show her what you mean by working with your own gifts. Talk to her about how you found your gifts.
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Allow her to explore a wide variety of interests. Let her try one or two activities, such as in sports and creative expression, at a time to see where her strengths lie. She can participate in six- to eight-week classes, which provide an opportunity for her to have a taste of what the topic is about but don't drag it out too long.
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If your daughter is involved in soccer, guitar lessons, the girl's club and church activities, she will tire out and not be able to focus on what her true talents are. Help her know her limits on doing too much.
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Give her options. Encourage her to work on science projects and math-related subjects. Avoid stereotyping and stifling her bend toward areas that typically have been considered masculine.
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Communicate your value of her through who she is, not what she does. Pay attention and hug her. Emphasize that you will love her, even if she finishes last in the race or forgets all her words to her singing solo.
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Take pictures of events and activities. Support the events in which your child is involved. Attend games, recitals and plays. Display the photos in your home and keep some in a special scrapbook so your daughter knows you value her talents.
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Tips & Warnings
Find a happy medium between pushing her and over-protecting her. She might need that extra boost to try when she is tired or just doesn't believe in herself. But you also need to protect her from expecting perfection from herself.
Avoid turning her into a mini you. Just because you performed well in an area doesn't mean she will. Let her find her own way.
