Teaching confidence and self-respect is something I do on a regular basis.

So, as a mom of three amazing daughters, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how to help them grow into strong, confident women.

Two of my daughters are now in graduate school, figuring out their place in the world, while my youngest is still in high school.

Watching them grow up has been one of the greatest joys of my life but also one of my biggest responsibilities.

Raising daughters in today’s world isn’t easy.

There’s so much pressure—on how they should look, act, and even think.

Social media tells them they’re not good enough unless they’re perfect.

Friends and classmates can make them feel like they don’t belong.

And let’s not even talk about the unrealistic standards of beauty they’re shown every day.

But here’s the thing: our daughters are enough, just as they are.

They are worthy, they are beautiful, and they are powerful.

Our job as parents is to make sure they know that.

Confidence and self-respect aren’t things that magically appear—they have to be taught, nurtured, and practiced every single day.

Start by Setting an Example

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as a mom is that our kids are always watching us.

If we want our daughters to have confidence and self-respect, we need to show them what that looks like.

This means speaking kindly to ourselves.

How often do we, as moms, criticize the way we look or apologize for things that aren’t our fault?

If our daughters hear us saying, “Ugh, I look so fat,” or “I’m terrible at this,” they’ll start to think it’s okay to talk about themselves that way too.

Instead, let’s show them what it means to love ourselves.

Let’s say things like, “I’m proud of the way I handled that,” or “I feel strong today!”

Even if we don’t feel confident all the time (because, let’s be real, who does?), we can still model the behavior we want to see in them.

Teach Them to Speak Up

One of the most important lessons I’ve tried to teach my daughters is the power of their voices.

Whether they’re in the classroom, with friends, or at work, I want them to know that their opinions matter.

For my younger daughter, this means encouraging her to raise her hand in class, even when she’s unsure.

For my older daughters, this means reminding them that they deserve to speak up in college discussions or advocate for themselves at work.

We can practice this at home, too.

During family conversations, I try to make sure everyone has a chance to share their thoughts—even if we don’t all agree.

This shows them that their voices are valuable and helps them build the confidence to speak up in other areas of their lives.

Celebrate Their Strengths

Every daughter is different.

One of mine is creative and has a passion for art, while another enjoys podcasting and is a natural-born leader.

My youngest loves sports and is fiercely competitive.

As parents, it’s important to celebrate what makes each of our daughters unique.

Instead of focusing on what they can’t do or where they fall short, we should highlight their strengths.

When they see that we’re proud of them for being themselves, it helps them feel proud, too.

It’s also important to remind them that they don’t have to be perfect.

Confidence doesn’t come from being the best at everything—it comes from knowing you’re trying your best.

Help Them Set Boundaries

Self-respect means knowing your worth and not letting others treat you poorly.

This is a lesson I’ve worked hard to teach my daughters.

For example, I’ve told them it’s okay to say “no” when something doesn’t feel right.

Whether it’s a friend asking them to do something they’re uncomfortable with or someone treating them disrespectfully, they have the right to set boundaries.

We’ve talked about what healthy relationships look like, too.

Respect goes both ways.

If someone isn’t treating them with kindness or fairness, they need to know it’s okay to walk away.

Teach Them to Handle Failure

Confidence doesn’t come from always winning—it comes from knowing you can handle losing.

Life is full of challenges, and our daughters need to know it’s okay to fail.

When my daughters face setbacks, I try to remind them that failure is just a part of learning.

Every time they think they’ve failed we talk about how they can use the experience to gain important lessons and growth.

By helping our daughters see failure as an opportunity, we teach them to be resilient.

And resilience is one of the biggest keys to confidence.

Encourage Them to Be Kind to Themselves

One thing I tell my daughters all the time is to treat themselves the way they would treat a friend.

If their best friend made a mistake, would they call her stupid? Of course not!

So why would they say those things to themselves?

Teaching self-kindness is so important.

It’s okay to make mistakes.

It’s okay to not have all the answers.

What matters is how we talk to ourselves in those moments.

I’ve taught my daughters to replace negative thoughts with positive ones.

Instead of saying, “I’m so bad at this,” they can say, “I’m still learning, and that’s okay.”

Positive self-talk makes a huge difference.

Give Them Opportunities to Shine

Confidence grows when we step outside our comfort zones.

Whether it’s trying out for a team, joining a club, or speaking in front of a group, our daughters need opportunities to take risks and succeed.

I’ve encouraged my daughters to try new things, even when they’re nervous.

When my oldest daughter was scared to move to Whales for graduate school, I told her, “It’s okay to be scared. But it’s also okay to be brave.”

She is now loving her experience, and it’s making her more confident for the next challenge.

Remind Them That They Are Loved

At the end of the day, the most important thing we can do for our daughters is love them unconditionally.

They need to know that no matter what happens—whether they fail, succeed, or get stuck in the middle—we are proud of them.

When they know they are loved, they have a safe place to land.

And that safety gives them the courage to take on the world.

Raising confident, self-respecting daughters isn’t always easy, but it’s one of the most important jobs we have as parents.

By setting an example, celebrating their strengths, and teaching them to be kind to themselves, we can help them grow into the incredible women they’re meant to be.

So, to all the moms out there, let’s keep lifting our daughters up.

Let’s remind them of how amazing they are—just the way they are.

Because when they believe in themselves, there’s nothing they can’t do.