Raising Teens: Making Girls Unstoppable

Last Updated on August 30, 2016 by Diane Hoffmaster

This post about Raising Teens has been sponsored by Global Influence but all opinions expressed here are my own.

When my children were younger, I thought I had things rough.  Temper tantrums, skinned knees, and that pouty bottom lip that quivered every time I said NO.  Boy, I never realized how easy things were until my kids hit their teenage years.  Raising teens is by far the hardest thing I have ever done so far.  Now instead of skinned knees and nap time I have to worry about school bullies and internet porn.  Seriously....if I survive raising teens and getting them off to college I will be amazed.  While raising boys can be challenging I find myself most worried about my daughter.  She just started middle school this year and knowing what I do from my own childhood I can definitely say that teenage girls can be downright cruel. I want to help her be confident in herself and make growing up as easy as possible for her.

Raising Teens: Making Girls Unstoppable

Over the years, I have seen several of my daughters' friends show an unhealthy concern over their weight.  These girls are ELEVEN and are already concerned about how many calories are in their food.  They read package labels to see how much fat is in there.  Emily went through a period a couple of years ago where she would tell me that something we were eating for dinner was too fattening.  Now, keep in mind that we eat VERY healthy most of the time!  To see her worried about fat and calories when she is a healthy and SKINNY young lady terrifies me.  I try to never mention watching what I eat in front of her but as a 40+ year old woman, I do have to be careful about my diet unless I want to never fit into my pants.  I like to think she doesn't notice when I skip the roll or dessert but I'm sure she probably does.

One of the best ways to make sure your daughter follows the right path as she gets older is to make sure she is confident in who she is and keep her self esteem up.  This is all well and good but how do we keep our daughter's self esteem up when Hollywood and society in general are showing them unrealistic examples of how girls should look?  Here are a few tips to help boost your daughter's self esteem:

1.  Model good behavior:  If you are constantly saying that you look fat or that your hair is ugly in front of your daughter it is going to be hard for her to look herself in the mirror and not be as judgmental about herself as you are of your own looks.

2.  Watch what you say:  Try not to be envious of others out loud in front of your daughter.  While you may be dreaming of having enough cleavage to fill out the 2 piece bathing suit your neighbor is wearing, keep it to yourself.  And make sure you don't belittle your daughter, either.  The last thing a girl needs to hear is that she is looking a little heavier than usual.  If you think she really is starting to have a weight issue, ask her if she would like to start walking with you after dinner to keep you company.

3.  Make time to talk:  Making sure you have time to connect to your daughter.  Turn the radio down in the car and talk to her about her life.  Be honest about issues that you had to deal with at her age.  Knowing that you suffered through acne and greasy hair will make her feel better about her own struggles. How about you think about hosting “Just Us Girls” night with your daughter and do something fun while you chat.  Find something you both enjoy doing together and reconnect with your daughter.

Dove and Kroger have paired up to help you boost the self esteem of your daughter so we can raise girls that are unstoppable!  Kroger has teamed up with the Dove® Self-Esteem Project to help reach more than 15 million girls with self-esteem building programs by 2015. Proceeds from every purchase of Dove® products goes to helping girls across the country reach their full potential.  Download the Dove Self-Esteem Toolkit and help spread the word by joining the #GirlsUnstoppable conversation online.  Every Dove® purchase at Kroger helps provide self-esteem programs for girls across the country. They have reached more than 11 million girls so far and are hoping to reach 15 million by 2015.  Your Dove purchases at Kroger can help them reach their goal!

The Giveaway

To get started on your journey of raising a confident daughter, Dove would like to help you host a “Just Us Girls” night with your daughter.  They have offered to provide a selection of their products (ARV $15) to one of my readers to help you host a Just Us Girls party!  This is a Giveaway Tools contest so follow the directions in the form below to enter.

 

 

Disclaimer:  This post about Raising Teens has been sponsored by Global Influence but all opinions expressed here are my own.

By entering this giveaway, you release this blog and it’s owner from any liability whatsoever, and waive any and all causes of action, related to any claims, costs, injuries, losses or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the giveaway or delivery, mis-delivery or acceptance of any prize.