Dear Dads, these are the HONEST realities you need to know when raising a daughter

Father plays an important role in the upbringing of kids; be it a son or a daughter the impact of fatherly love, affection, motivation and even anger has a different impact on kids than a mother.

However, many kids, daughters especially do not get their father’s love, as much as they should. Coming to the stereotypes which play a crucial role in a family and under the pressure of which fathers mostly surrender! Fathers are often unable to express their love for their kid due to the gender stereotypes which still exist in our society.

So, now is the time to break those barriers and revamp the parenting skills which you have received partly through heredity and partly through passive learning from society.

Dads, know these honest realities when you are raising a daughter.

No! She is your daughter and you need to accept her as a daughter. By phrasing her existence in this manner you are pushing her to live your dreams of having a son. Putting it more accurately in words, you are making her believe her being a son would have been far more acceptable than what she is now.

Don’t pause your daughter’s accomplishments with reference to male gender. Just like a son's dreams are endless, so are a daughter's; the only difference is we don't let them dream.

Whenever a girl shines, in academics or in sports or in any other field, instead of appreciating her for who she is, we equate it to the other gender; the gender which is considered to be the dominant gender, the gender which is considered to be the winner gender and the gender which is thought to be invincible.

The main barrier between a daughter and her father, especially in rural and suburban setup, is the stereotype. Men are not allowed to express their emotions and girls are believed to be human beings who do not need emotions. This barrier stops many men from appreciating their daughters in public. Due to this barrier many fathers bow down before the society when it comes to their daughters.

Break this barrier. Encourage your daughter. Teach her the same values that you teach your son. Motivate her in the same way you motivate your son.

Do not keep distinct dreams and hopes for your daughter and your son.

For every Indian father, the daughter's future begins and ends at marriage and son's at a good job. This needs to end.

Make your daughter able, give her education, encourage her to face the world, help her get a job and motivate her to take responsibility.

Gender distinct talks in Indian families are not uncommon.

Don't teach your girl about cooking and stitching and your son about household responsibility! Both of them are equally capable of doing everything. A girl is capable of doing a job and running a household and a boy is capable of cooking and stitching; the problem is we don’t teach them things in that manner.

As a father you need to encourage gender neutral talks in family conversations. No conversation should hint at a gender barrier among the kids. The values, duties and responsibilities are as much of a woman as it should be of a man and as an elder person in the family you should make this change.

Many Indian households do not see a daughter as their own family member. The very traditional Indian rule which makes it compulsory for a girl to move into her husband's household after marriage is the reason behind millions of cases of dowry harassments and death, female infanticide and isolation by own family members.

Do not keep your daughter away from family meets and discussions. Even when there are objections, face it and try to break them.

Make her feel comfortable. Encourage her to talk about her issues to you. Be someone whom she can go to and talk about her problems. Be her confidant.