
Raising Awesome Girls: practical advice for parents
Raising girls can be a daunting process. You want to help her grow into a courageous woman, equipped with the confidence and skills she’ll need to make her own decisions and persevere through all that life will throw at her. But how do you do that? Is there a manual or formula somewhere that you missed?
While there’s no perfect formula that we’ve found (seriously, if you have one, please share), Girl Scouts of the USA has shared some awesome advice that will help you and your girl navigate life’s challenges and triumphs.
Where do you find this advice? On their Raising Awesome Girls page, where GSUSA shares “straightforward, realistic, and proven parenting advice on everything and anything you might deal with when raising girls. From when to get a family pet and how to help her make new friends to more serious issues like bullying, discussions about current events, and school struggles, we’ve got you covered. Hand-in-hand, we can take the guesswork out of parenting and bring the fun back in.”
Here are just a few of our favorites. Check them out and use their advice to help your awesome girl!
7 Ways to Deal When the World Is Just So Overwhelming
“Between making that deadline for work, running household errands, and simply trying to keep up with family and friends, life can be stressful. Add in the news of the world and it can feel downright overwhelming.
The good news is that you’re not the only one who feels this way. In fact, a survey from January 2017 showed that one in three Americans experienced increased levels of stress over the past year. The not so good news? It’s not just grownups who are feeling on edge. According to reports, up to one in five children and teens experiences anxiety, panic, or another closely related feeling.”
10 Reasons Your Smart Daughter Might Be Struggling In School
“But while many people think kids who get low grades are either not-so-smart or lazy, there are many reasons why your smart girl might be getting lower grades than you’d expect—and they have nothing to do with her intelligence or lack thereof! Here, Girl Scouts Developmental Psychologist Dr. Andrea Bastiani Archibald lists some of the many factors that can affect her performance in the classroom, and that you can help her push past!”
Teach Her to to Shut Down Haters With Confidence
“We’re all working to create a more peaceful world, where people are respectful of each other and bullying is a thing in the past, but in the meantime, there’s a good chance your daughter will encounter at least one instance of someone talking behind her back or hurting her feelings at school. Hearing that your girl is going through a hard time can be heartbreaking, but instead of immediately stepping in and trying to fix the situation for her, Girl Scouts Developmental Psychologist Andrea Bastiani Archibald says it’s better to arm her with ways to handle the situation herself if possible.”
Four Times to Let Your Daughter Fail
“Scraped knees, bruised egos, embarrassing moments, and regrettable decisions don’t feel good in the moment—and the very thought of them can leave many helicopter parents running for the hills—but in the long run, they’re some of the most valuable experiences you can give your daughter.”
How to Deal When Your Daughter Says She Hates You
“It might feel like the absolute worst, but before you flat-out decide you’ve failed as a parent (spoiler alert: you haven’t!), it’s worth noting that such strong words coming from your daughter can be a sign that you’re doing something right.”
When Hate and Violence Shake Her World
“Kids and teens are understandably scared as well as worried when they see acts of extreme violence, especially when other young people are involved,” says Dr. Andrea Bastiani Archibald, Girl Scouts’ developmental psychologist. “Older girls may try to bury their feelings of fear or sadness, but those feelings will only fester and become larger problems if they’re not dealt with. On the other side of the coin, littler kids don’t have the context to understand what’s going on, so they will often fill in the blanks with the most frightening and worst possible scenarios. That’s why it’s so important that parents don’t dismiss their kids’ worries by saying, ‘Don’t worry about that,’ or ‘Oh, that’s nothing.’ We need to have honest, direct conversations with all our children about these types of horrific events, and how you work to keep them safe.”
So what did you think? Did you find some advice or a tip to help you with your awesome girl? We hope so! Follow Girl Scouts of Western Ohio on Facebook for more advice from Raising Awesome Girls.
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