Girls Growing Up

“For a long time I ran away from my feelings, and that’s a bad thing. Now I feel very strong. I feel very powerful. Not powerful as in I could dominate people, but I know myself more.”


Wendy
The Power of Girls: Inside and Out®

As girls enter their teens, they often feel self-conscious and insecure. Sometimes they act out emotions in risky or harmful ways. The girls who get safely through adolescence are those with strong connections with their real friends, parents, or other adults they trust.

In middle school, Rachel thought that putting other girls down would make her more popular. Her best friend noticed that Rachel had changed and told her she was being rude.

Rachel’s parents even spoke up about how they had been feeling. “They said I was pushing them away,” Rachel says. “They knew I wanted to be more independent, but they wanted me to treat them with more courtesy.”

Sixteen-year-old Wendy says low self-esteem was the reason she made some poor decisions. She regretted having had an early sexual experience. She wanted to withdraw. Instead, she confided in a close friend. Together, they worked hard to rebuild her confidence and self-respect.

You can help your daughter build strong connections in her life. Be available to talk and listen without judging. Doing so will help your daughter bring her questions and concerns to you.

Remember: Teens who feel connected to their families are less likely to experience emotional distress, engage in violence, attempt suicide, or use harmful substances.1

Read Issues and Answers at wordscanwork.com for more about this topic.

1. The National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health

© 2006 Blake Works,Inc.

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