By admin 
I know from personal experience that raising a confident girl is not the easiest thing to do. My 9-year-old daughter has already reached an age when carefree childhood begins to fold social and cultural norms. Am I beautiful? Does he think I’m cute?? I’m not cool if I don’t wear lip gloss and have a phone with me…
As a parent, it’s a surprising and not-so-pleasant change to witness, but not entirely unfamiliar, namely because in the recesses of my mind I have memories of experiencing some version of it all myself. Needless to say, moms who demonstrate strong, positive behaviors can really help impressionable girls find their voice and stay above the fray; but words, especially when spoken at the right time, also have a lot of power.
So what exactly can moms say to their daughters that will really help them navigate that whole growing up as a girl thing? With that question in mind, I took all my thoughts to a professional parenting expert Jennifer Kelman– a mental health care provider Just answer and a licensed clinical social worker with more than 30 years of experience providing advice on relationship, parenting and children’s mental health issues – and asked what phrase girl mothers can say to their daughters that will really make a difference.
Most of what I say to my tween daughter is met with rolls and groans, but when I asked Kelman if there was anything I could say that would be well received and impactful, she didn’t hesitate to give a succinct answer. According to the expert, the most meaningful phrase that girls can hear consistently and at almost any age is: “I am proud of your strength and your values.”