Bucking The Trend: How To Help Your Daughters Love Computers

There has been a lot of talk recently about the huge amount of misogyny in the technology sector. It seems that any time a female comes out with a good idea, a point of view, or even just a comment, they are targeted by males simply because they are girls. If you are a father with daughters, this is incredibly concerning. Technology is playing a huge part in our lives in these modern times, but in the future there is no doubt it will play even more. And if we want our daughters to be able to thrive, then breaking free from this sexist nonsense simply must be a priority. And the best way to do it is to involve our daughters in technology from an early age. Here are some ideas that might help you do just that.

Embrace Games

Children are naturally drawn to games on tablets, phones and computers. It’s the flashy lights and colours that do it! But games are a good way to introduce certain skills, with problem-solving being a prime example. And the fun environment of games is a great way for them to start learning exactly how ‘things’ work. Very quickly, you will find your daughter can turn it off and on. And operate volume controls. And, if you are unlucky or careless enough, even access the app store and spend a fortune on your account. There are plenty of games for both sexes, particularly when they are young. A good way to get a gauge of the sort of thing they will like is by visiting a free gaming site yourself. Take a look at http://playberry.com/  for some fun and simple games – but go through them yourself to make sure they are suitable.

Build Them A Computer

Girls are just as fascinated with building things as boys are. At least, they are until the inevitable differences led by peer pressure and what they see on TV start kicking in. So get building early! Use their fascination and ally it with their creativity to come up with cool ways of building a computer. As a development tool, it could set them on the road in the same way learning a musical instrument does. They will need to have a purpose and a goal to work towards – playing music, perhaps – but they will get a lot of value out of it. A good place to start would be with Raspberry Pi. You can find out more here –  https://www.raspberrypi.org/. It’s easy for kids to work with and a great introduction to how computing works.

Give Them Confidence

As your daughter grows older, if they have a genuine interest in working with technology it will show. It is important to catch this wave of interest and back them, and give them the confidence to succeed. It could be a rocky path for them, and there is no doubt that they will feel like they are being pushed out by ‘the boys’ at certain times. But with your help and support, they will break down those barriers.