30 things to teach your daughter

Saw this on Facebook and thought it was good.
Thanks to my parents for doing a good job teaching me these things (well, most of them anyways! ).

1. How to give a firm handshake.
2. To never wear clothes with something written across the butt.
3. A man will never treat a woman better than he treats his mom. Pay attention to how the guys treat their moms, and run from the ones who aren’t respectful.
4. Look people in the eye when you talk to them.
5. People will judge you by what you say. “I was like, um, totally!” does not qualify as a sentence.
6. People will judge you by what you wear. Show respect for yourself (and see #2).
7. How to change a tire.
8. How to throw a football.
9. Don’t be afraid to use your voice – sometimes it’s the most powerful thing you have.
10. Basic self defense – be able to get out of a situation, and run fast. And use that powerful voice.
11. Teach them how to apologize well, ask for help when needed, and that anger is more harmful to the person who harbors it than to who it’s directed at.
12. What’s in the magazine is photoshopped. Confidence is more attractive than size 2 jeans.
13. Laughter can diffuse many a challenging situation. Especially when you can laugh at yourself.
14. Block out the voices. Not every opinion is worth listening to – listen to the ones that matter, and learn whose opinion you’ll allow to shape your thoughts.
15. Advertising is full of hidden agendas. Don’t fall for it. “Maybe she's born with it… maybe it's Maybelline” – really? Maybelline didn’t make her anything she wasn't born with.
16. How to hit a baseball, throw a punch, and use a compass.
17. How to write a proper thank you letter, and how to type.
18. How to manage her money.
19. Appreciate the little things (and little refers to more than diamonds and pearls).
20. Read often and much. Read works of classic and contemporary literature, fiction and nonfiction.
21. Walk in someone else’s shoes.
22. Listen well, both for what’s being said, and for what’s being omitted.
23. Dream big, and set realistic goals. You can accomplish more than you think you can.
24. Girls can do most things as well as boys can, in general. But know your personal limits, what your own strengths and weaknesses are. Once you know them you can use them to your advantage.
25. Most things worth having or worth doing require sacrifice. Know what you’re willing to sacrifice, and for what.
26. No regrets. Learn from the past, but don’t dwell on what could have been.
27. Just because it’s never been done doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Push the limits.
28. Basic sewing skills.
29. How to handle herself online – using good privacy, remembering that anything shared can go viral (including pictures in poor taste), and knowing that people online aren’t always who they say they are.
30. Trust your instincts. If it feels wrong, it probably is. Listen to that voice, and don’t silence it.

Mostly good, I agree.
But "24. Girls can do most things as well as boys can, in general." Hmm. . . just a little condescending. That one, together with the "learn to type" exhortation, sound like they were written in the 50s. I think my generation is the last that didn't all learn to type.

See, I don't mind those two things. There are things I struggle because I am not physically strong enough and I am strong for a woman. I know there are things my husband can do better than me because of it, I can still do them, he just does them more easily which in my mind is better. I also think learning to type, especially in this day and age is a very valuable tool. If you only know how to use your thumbs on a phone, work done on a computer will be very slow.
Just my spin on it. I do think some of the old fashioned stuff still has value. I am so glad my dad taught me how to shake a hand properly. I still find men that are surprised when I have a firm handshake and not a limp wristed one.

I wasn't suggesting that typing isn't useful, just the opposite! Also that all kids, male and female, learn to type these days.

Also, I agree that men are better at some things, but do think that women are better at others. the list item suggests that men are better than women for some things, while women are, at best, only equal to men for others.

Having two daughters, this is a good list. I have tried to raise my girls to be as independent and as self responsible as is humanly possible, if I had sons I would have done the same things. I just wished my girls liked hockey more and my oldest didn't fall asleep so easily when I take her hunting (her choice to hunt by the way, she asked me to teach her).

I agree with most of these. I have a few of my own to add, however ...

31.) How to work. HARD. With her hands and with her mind. At the end of the day, she who busts her butt is the one who wins.
32.) How to do minor building repairs - build a wall, drywall, tape/mud, paint, and build simple furniture. A girl should be able to build herself a garden shed that doesn't fall down.
33.) But know when to call an expert. Or dad. Or both.
34.) Power tools are better investments than jewellery or clothing. Every girl should leave home with a basic set of hand tools, and as soon as she gets her own home, she should start investing in power tools. Get the good ones, and you'll only have to buy them once.
35.) How to COOK. Not macaroni or frozen pizza - REAL FOOD. From scratch.
36.) That her time has value.


I also think all of these things - what's on the original list and my additions - should be taught to boys.