How do you raise your only girl sharing the house with your sister's 4 boys?

Question

I am a divorced mother of a 5 yo girl, sharing a one family house with my sister, her four boys and her husband. Many times I feel like my daughter gets excluded from games and activities because she is the only girl. I try to provide all I can for her but since I am the breadwinner, I don't get to spend a lot of time at home. My sister and her husband are usually with the kids when they come back from school and oversee them, but I feel they have a lot in their hands to worry about my daughter's feelings. How can I help my daughter deal with the rejection the older boys show when she wants to be included in their games? These boys are my nephews and I love them, I wish they could be nicer to my daughter but I don't want to create a bigger conflict.

Answer 1

My daughter has 3 brothers two older one younger. She can do her nails and makeup, then join the guys in a game of touch football, basketball, whatever. She also has more male friend than female, she finds girls to be dishonest and catty!! This to her advantage, she's always got a guy lookin' out for her!! Your situation is differant. But your daughter will grow to love the "guys" and they her, in the mean time invite some of her little friends over for a play date. Have tea party's whatever.....but encourage her to join her new family of men!! Ask the guys to teach her baseball, volleyball ect!! I think with a little work on your part, this new "family" can work!!!!

Answer 2

All you can do is create a sense of self worth and an environment of unconditional love for your daughter. Speaking as the baby and the only girl in a family of 4 boys, I know what it's like. I often wanted to hang out with my brothers and found myself rejected. I didn't have many friends because I was so shy but I created my own world inside my room. I discovered books and acquired a thirst for knowledge and became an avid reader. I became extremely ambitious, refusing to accept rejection when I was older. Today, I am doing extremely well. I am extremely successful, I owned my home and cars outright at the age of 25 and I think it's because of how I was raised. As long as your daughter knows she is loved and deserves nothing but the best, she will be okay.