What Can Parents Do to Encourage Girls in Science? At Home
• Your words are powerful and can influence attitudes and performance in school and at home. • Suggest activities and experiences for girls that may be traditionally reserved for boys. Girls may not ask for the chance to fix a leaky pipe, build a fence or explore the cause of an electrical short, but are enthusiastic participants when given the opportunity. Encourage girls to explore non-traditional areas of interest. Praise demonstrations of daring, curiosity. • Stereotypes are powerful. Encourage girls, as well as boys, to question them. Praise your daughter for her skills and ideas rather than for her appearance and neatness. • Resist rescuing girls or providing ready answers. Research shows that this kind of “help” undermines girls’ confidence in their abilities. • Encourage new, non-traditional thinking and methods of problem solving. Help foster an environment where girls know it’s acceptable to get sweaty and dirty in pursuit of a goal. • Become a media critic and encourage that
