Our daughters are constantly getting inundated with messages from various media outlets. The values they see in the lyrics of songs, on TV shows and movies, and even in advertisements can significantly impact their lives. However, you are the most important person in your daughter's life and be the most influential person in her life. You can't put her on a pedestal and expect that she is going to be perfect. Do you want to raise a strong, independent woman? She needs you to guide her, teach her, love her unconditionally, help build up her self-esteem when it falters, and provide support when she needs it most. Here are seven life values your daughter needs so that she can grow into an amazing woman. 

1. Kindness

It is never too early to teach your daughter how to be kind. It may seem like a small thing, but it will change her life and the lives of those around her in ways you cannot even imagine. Daughters who are taught kindness grow up to be mothers, friends, sisters and wives with an innate sense of empathy for others. Teenagers right now believe that America is in dire need of more kindness anyways, with 96 percent of teens saying it's affecting the way they treat their peers. Teaching kindness helps reduce animosity which reduces bullying. Your daughter will know how to show love without expecting anything in return. It will be because she has witnessed an abundance of love from her family along the way.  Teaching a daughter to be kind is the greatest gift you can give her, and, in return, she will provide you with an even bigger one. 

2. Empathy 

Why is teaching empathy so vital?  Teaching your daughter to be empathetic will help her develop crucial skills like compassion and perspective-taking. What is empathy? Empathy is the ability to understand and share another person's feelings. It's inherently human, but it can be a difficult skill for children — especially young girls — to develop. Talk about her feelings and understand them. Be empathetic when she talks about others' problems, even if they are kids at school. Ask what it would feel like if she were in someone else's situation. Give her chances to practice understanding how someone else feels and see if she can guess what they might be thinking and feeling. 

3. Patience 

4. Respect 

I'm sure you want to raise your daughter to be a confident and independent woman, which is why she needs to learn how to respect herself. Respect is something that everyone deserves. It's not just for adults. Children deserve to get shown respect too. Teaching your daughter to respect herself is an important lesson in life because it will set the tone for how she treats others and what they think of her. Respect isn't just about not talking back or doing what you're told. Respect means valuing yourself, your body and your time; it's about recognizing the power of "no". It's about knowing your value and showing people how special they are.

5. Humility

A daughter's humble lesson is not just a thing of the past - it is something we can teach our daughters today. The world has changed, and so have people, but there are still some universal truths that hold: do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and humility goes before honor. Many people think that humility is something you are born with, but we believe it is a lesson that can get taught. It is something to work towards, not something that magically happens overnight. Teaching your daughter to be humble will go a long way in her future, whether she pursues an artistic or professional career.  Humility is an attractive quality that she should never be without.

6. Leadership 

A daughter is a reflection of her family and the world around her. If she sees that women are not respected or valued, then this will be how she feels about herself. Daughters need to see strong, confident leaders they can emulate as role models to become convinced themselves. Every parent wants their daughter to be successful, and a big step in achieving this is to ensure that she feels self-assured. The first step to becoming a strong, confident leader is learning to speak up for herself to get what she needs and wants. It doesn't mean being rude or disrespectful! It means doing the best job she can in any situation.

7. Determination

In today's society, girls are told that they can be anything they want to be. It is a beautiful thing when you think about it- the idea that a person has no limitations based on what gender or race they are. What many people don't realize though, is just because someone can do something doesn't mean that person wants to do it. In fact, some of these things may even scare them. As parents, we have an obligation to teach our daughters how important determination is as a lifestyle asset so they know how to take risks and bounce back from failures. Determination is an extremely valuable asset to have in life. It can help your daughter get through difficult challenges, and it can help her improve her life tremendously.  If you want your daughter to be successful in life, determination is a must-have value for her success. 

It is an old cliché, but it rings true: girls need a role model. Your daughter needs to have someone she admires and wants to be like. As her mother or father, you are automatically the most prominent person in her life who fulfills this need. You should not take this responsibility lightly; your daughter's moral upbringing will affect her for the rest of her life! Start teaching her basic morality by modeling it yourself. Just remember, she will grow up and start making decisions on her own. It will be helpful for her to know what behaviors are appropriate or not so that she can make good choices in life!