Kamal Ghorui
Confidence isn’t just a personality trait; it’s a life skill. It shapes how a child sees themselves from an early age, and how they respond to challenges and how boldly they step into opportunities.Bollywood actress, and now a global icon, Priyanka Chopra is a living example of confidence in action. Everyone has witnessed her success story, but behind the spotlight is the way she was raised to believe in herself. During an interview, Priyanka Chopra credited her father for building her confidence.
Priyanka Chopra shares her dad’s way of building confidence in her
In an interview with WeAreYuvaa, interviewer Nikhil Taneja asked Priyanka Chopra to share advice with him, as he recently became a girl-dad. Priyanka answered, “What I would tell you is something my father did and said: “He gave me space to be myself.”Recalling her childhood days, Priyanka shared that when she was as young as five or six years old, she would spend time with her parents and their friends. Whenever the grown-ups had any conversation, she recalled, she would join in and be “opinionated.” She continues, “So when I would have an opinion at five, he would stop all his friends from talking and give me the stage, saying ‘Yes, what did you have to say?’… without being cute about it.” She adds, “He gave me agency and I think that really was something I admire a lot.
What parents can learn from Priyanka Chopra’s experience
Priyanka’s reflection highlights an important yet overlooked parenting approach, and that is; Treating your child’s voice with genuine respect. Her opinions weren’t dismissed as “silly” or “childish,” instead her father gave her the same attention he would have as an adult. This approach gave her a powerful message; “Your opinion matters.”It’s like going beyond encouragement, and creating space for the child to express herself. It’s not about agreeing with everything they say, but about validating their right to have an opinion.
Why this matters more for girl-parents
By giving daughters the freedom to express themselves from a young age, parents help them develop a strong inner voice, one that doesn’t shrink in the face of judgment or pressure. Such confidence not just shapes a girl’s personality, but gives her the power and courage to handle difficult situations and set boundaries.However, this is simply something that not just a girl-parent but every parent should adapt to. Sometimes, the most powerful way to raise a confident child is not by teaching them to speak louder, but by making sure they are truly heard when they do.
