Seven Compliments for Your Daughter that Have Nothing to Do With Looks

My daughters are beautiful. I’ve thought this from the moment their wrinkly little bodies were placed in my arms. I still think that now that they’re teens and will until I die. And I used to tell them all the time in different ways. I love your hair, your eyes, your smile. You look great in blue, green, stripes. My thought was that if I tell them they’re beautiful enough times, they wouldn’t need to hear from society and future tattoo-barring, motorcycle-riding, aspiring-drummer boyfriends. But now I think that approach was incomplete.

Yes. My girls are beautiful. Yes, they deserve compliments. All girls do. But let’s compliment what makes then truly beautiful.

1. Her Intelligence

Tell her she has a big fat brain capable of learning anything. When she uses that big fat brain, make a big deal over it. Let’s start calling our daughters Geniuses as often as we call then Princesses.

2. Her Hard Work

Try-fail. Try-fail. Try-fail. Try-succeed. Isn’t this the secret of life—at least one of them?  “You did it! You kept practicing, and you learned to tie your shoes!” Isn’t that more important than telling her that her shoes are “way cute!”?

3. Her Sense of Humor

Laughter is the best medicine and can be a quite a compliment. Laugh too hard and too long at her jokes.

4. Her Toughness

Learning to take the blows that life hands out is not easy. When your daughter gets back up, you should be more pumped than Mickey in a Rocky movie.

5. Her Kindness

“You can accomplish by kindness what you cannot by force.” -Publilius Syrus, Roman writer. 

Why do we underestimate the power of kindness? If your daughter is putting someone else’s concerns before her own, throw the confetti and break out the compliments.

6. Her Leadership

We’ve all heard this recent warning: Don’t call her bossy. When your daughter steps up and takes charge, reward that initiative. Don’t tell her she’s bossy, tell her she is A Boss!

7.  Her Originality

Over seven billion people on earth and there’s no one exactly like her. No one else has the same passions, goals, struggles, and abilities. She is irreplaceable. Celebrate her uniqueness.

So go forth and compliment your little girls. Often. Loud. And honestly.