Did you know that a good disagreement can teach your daughter some life skills?
Many girls learn to avoid conflict with others in their life – often, they receive both implicit and explicit social messages (ex: "Be nice…") that disagreement with others would be a threat to those relationships and, therefore, should be avoided at all costs. When peace at any cost is the goal, girls miss the opportunity to express their own ideas and feelings and to feel heard and respected as individuals. By modeling for your daughter how to disagree respectfully (i.e., no put-downs or name-calling), she learns that differences of opinion, thoughts and feelings can exist between two people without either party being "wrong." Your daughter will see from your example that good relationships are not threatened by healthy disagreement but strengthened instead. This can help her find her own voice while being open to what others have to say as well. The more she can practice asserting herself and her ideas, the more empowered she will feel while building a sense of self-confidence and trust in her own thinking (particularly useful in peer pressure situations.)
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