Harvard researchers reveal 4 secrets of parents who have confident, strong-willed daughters.

Many parents are accustomed to praising their daughters' actions as "cute" or "adorable," unaware that these words can inadvertently create gender stereotypes. Parents of confident daughters who are likely to succeed in the future often share four other secrets.

Many studies show that self-confidence is a key factor in determining future success, because when children believe in their abilities, they will be motivated to proactively learn and strive to achieve positive results.

However, not all parents know how to nurture self-confidence in their children – especially girls – who often face greater pressure to be "perfect." It is this fear of failure that makes them more susceptible to losing self-confidence.

According to a LEGO Group survey of over 60,000 parents and children aged 5-12, many girls reported feeling pressured to be perfect and feeling that adults tend to listen more to boys' ideas.

Encouraging creativity in children helps them become more confident, because when they experiment and take risks, they learn to believe in themselves. "When children fear failure, they become hesitant to experiment and limit their creative thinking," says educational researcher Jennifer Wallace (a Harvard graduate).

According to Wallace, simply changing the way parents use words and compliments can help their daughters become more confident. Here are four of her suggestions for nurturing confident, self-assured girls.

Girls whose parents encourage creativity and the courage to experiment are more likely to develop self-confidence. (Illustration: Pham Trong Tung)

1. Don't overemphasize perfection – praise the effort and the process.

Expert Wallace suggests that parents should help alleviate the pressure that girls often face.

"Many children feel the need to be perfect due to societal or cultural influences. But simply by changing the way adults speak, they can make children feel more at ease," she shared.

In creative activities—where results are often subjective—focus praise on the details or the process: "I love how you chose those colors!"

According to psychologist Francyne Zeltser, when parents praise effort instead of just the result, children will understand that it's important to try their best – not to always strive for perfection.

This helps children maintain their motivation to learn and work, even when the results are not as expected.

2. Turn failure into a learning opportunity.

According to CNBC Make It , teaching children to view mistakes as part of the learning process will help them overcome fear of failure, maintain a positive attitude, and be ready for new challenges.

Children who dare to try and take risks tend to be more resilient and more likely to succeed later in life.

Expert Wallace advises parents to openly share their own mistakes and tell their children what they learned from them.

"A growth mindset means believing that people can progress through effort and perseverance, not just through innate talent. When children have this mindset, they will easily bounce back from failure, love learning, and be willing to try new things, no matter how difficult," she said.

3. Be careful with your word choice - avoid gender bias.

Expert Wallace emphasized: "Parents should be mindful of gender bias in language, especially when discussing their daughters' creative work."

Many parents may not realize that words like "cute" or "adorable" are often used to describe girls' creations, while boys are praised with words like "cool," "bold," or "genius."

According to the survey, these seemingly harmless words inadvertently reinforce gender stereotypes, causing girls to narrow their interests and hesitate to pursue creative or science-technology fields.

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) also warned that linguistic bias could affect gender diversity in creative and STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields.

4. Introduce your child to inspiring role models.

Wallace encourages parents to talk to their children about inspiring female role models, especially those who have succeeded in traditionally male-dominated fields, such as film directing or female tech executives.

These role models could be celebrities, friends, or relatives, as long as their achievements convey the message that "Anyone can achieve great things."

Parents should also set a good example by playing with their children, talking to them, and sharing their own creative inspirations.

"Children learn best by observing adults. When parents demonstrate curiosity, creativity, and confidence, their children will naturally follow suit," researcher Wallace said.

In short, raising confident daughters isn't just about praise or encouragement. It's about how parents choose their words, react to failure, and set a good example in daily life. These small things can create strong, capable, and happy girls.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nha-nghien-cuu-harvard-tiet-lo-4-bi-mat-cua-bo-me-co-con-gai-tu-tin-ban-linh-2453755.html