By Lori Hanson
When I think back to my teen and college years I didn’t have the feeling of girl power. At least not the kind that made me feel comfortable in any situation or encouraged me to speak my mind and stand up for what I felt strongly about. I didn’t have a ton of confidence in myself and functioned more like a pinball in a machine, bouncing from one barricade to the next. Collecting a series of trial and error experiences to find the right direction and place in life.
As if the typical struggles through adolescence and college years aren’t enough (puberty, body image issues, feeling self-conscious around your friends and being bossed around by adults) now there is technology which provides a huge layer of distraction for young girls (and boys). Kids aren’t developing healthy communication skills because everything is hidden behind a text or Facebook message.
Teens are getting involved sexually much younger than they used to. There is a great deal of pressure to explore and not be the only virgin left in high school. Sad, but true. Add to that the busy-disjointed American home life, single parents; two working parents and quality vs. quantity family time, and teen girls start searching in the wrong places for the answers.
Because I feel so strongly about helping teen girls find the information they need to make good choices and avoid addictive behaviors and teen pregnancies, I’ve been working with Patti Hildebrand, President of the Academic Booster Club (ABC) of Castle View High School to put together the first Learn2Balance Girl Power Conference.
The focus is on increasing confidence, improving body image and communication skills, understanding and negotiating relationships and learning how to balance schedules.
This conference will be an interactive and fun way for young girls to learn new tools and techniques for navigating life. Patti and her team have done a great job of getting the word out and parents have been very supportive of this initiative. The half-day conference, will be held on Saturday afternoon. We’ll be covering three core topics:
- How to Feel Like an American Idol Winner: The Three C’s of Confidence
- He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not: Riding the Rollercoaster of Relationships
- Did I Just Say that Out Loud?! Three Steps to Standing Your Ground
Each girl who attends will earn an official Girl Power Certificate.
I repeatedly say, “Working with teens is like dog training; you can’t just talk to the teens, you’ve also got to reach the parents.” To keep my word, we are planning to follow the Girl Power Conference up with a program for parents to help them Tap into their Teen Parenting Power.
If you’re interested in registering your daughter to join us this Saturday, there are a few seats left. Register now.
Increase Girl Power in Your Community
If you are interested in bringing this program to your school. Contact us for details.
A college version of the Girl Power Conference is also available.
Contact us to bring it to your sorority, leadership, student government or student activities event.
Girl power!
©2013
