If you look at the latest literature, what you see is the parent hailed as coach, not as judge, jury and jailer. The directions are clear. Stand squarely in her corner. Encourage her, cheer her on, teach her skills and set limits. Soon enough, she'll use the practice sessions she's had with you on playing fields that you cannot even imagine.
Girls can build up their stamina by hanging in there when the outcome is in doubt.
But there still are some things to change so girls can learn how to absorb the punches that are an inevitable part of making progress. It starts as early as preschool, when a little girl takes her first stab at competing at board games like Candyland. The adult lets her win. It probably wouldn't happen that way if she were a boy, Rimm said. While a single game may not matter, the repeated lesson does.