Do you know at least one middle-school-aged girl?
Filled with change, uncertainty, and doubt, the middle school years offer a chance for caring adults - mothers, teachers, coaches, aunts, grandmothers, neighbors, and friends - to nurture and guide an 11-to-13-year-old girl into becoming a strong and self confident woman. Your middle school girl is on the road to adulthood. And she needs guides, oh, does she need guides!
Middle school girls need strong women who are willing to tell the truth, about life, love, relationships, sex, and beauty. You know many truths in these areas. Your middle school girl needs to hear those truths. She's not getting them from the culture. She needs to get them from you. And your high school girls probably need to hear those messages too.
A Glamour Magazine poll just released tells us that 97% of young women have violent thoughts about their body. Yes, violent thoughts. Yes, 97%. We should be alarmed. And we should use our alarm and concern to become active and do something.
What to do? Use sound bites to instill positive messages and truths about beauty, sex, and relationships. Help a girl you care about understand her body, her emotions, her reality. Make sure she knows what her strengths are. And finally, love her. Love her for no good reason, except that she is. And because she is a girl you care about, that is enough. Tell her. Convince her that she is good, that she is enough, and that you love her. The hands you see in the photo here were created by middle school girls. On these hands the girls listed their strengths and the important people in their lives. Concrete actions help girls take in and live the truth. Once you tell your girl how special she is help her take it in more deeply through some action or ritual.
If you need help, attend one of my workshops (sign up for a community workshop or schedule your own), purchase my Growing up Female Home Study Course, or contact me to work out something else. I'd be happy to help you. The girls of today can benefit from your intervention and your support. They need you.
You have a powerful affect on those around you, especially those you love and care about. Use your influence. Make a difference.
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