The Brave Girl Blog Navigating Friendship Challenges and Confidence

Starting a new school year can be exciting but can also bring challenges, especially for children without close friends in their classes.

Understanding the Emotional Impact:
When a child realizes they're not in class with their close friends, it can trigger strong emotions like sadness, worry, and even anger. Acknowledging and understanding these emotions is crucial for parents. Start by recognizing the significance of the situation and how it might affect your child emotionally. Remember, your child's feelings are valid, and creating a safe space to express themselves without judgment is essential.

7 Tips for Parents

1. Manage Your Own Emotions:
   Parents play a vital role in helping their children cope with these feelings. Begin by managing your own emotions, expectations, and fears. If you've requested specific classmates for your child and the request wasn't met, it's natural to feel upset. However, remaining calm and centered is essential for supporting your child effectively.
2. ...

As parents, we embark on a beautiful journey with our children, witnessing their growth and development at every step.

Along this path, we encounter moments of joy, laughter, and love, but we also face challenges and complexities that can be overwhelming.

As our children grow and navigate new emotions, they may struggle to find the right words to express what's happening inside. That's where the "Feeling Wheel" becomes an invaluable tool – a compass guiding the ups and downs of emotions in our homes or even during car rides.

We want to help our kids to develop their emotional literacy and learn how to describe emotions beyond "Happy," "Sad," "Mad," and "Scared." When we ask our children how they feel, their answers are often limited.

"Happy," "Sad," "Mad," and "Scared" are fundamental emotions, but the richness of our emotional landscape extends far beyond these four labels. The Feeling Wheel unlocks a treasure trove of emotions, giving our children a vocabulary to...

As August begins, I can't help but feel the back-to-school blues, even though I'm no longer a student or a school counselor. Now, I'm a parent supporting a high schooler, and it's time to get myself and my son back into the school routine.

Does back-to-school stress you out too?

Thankfully, my son has been working all summer and getting up early, so we aren't too far from our regular school routine. Another relief is that he no longer experiences the anxiety he used to have during elementary school. However, I know that many families and kids struggle with the anxiety that comes with the uncertainty and stress of starting a new school year.  I want to share some tips on how to support your child through the worry and anxiety that often accompanies the beginning of the school year.

Now, let's explore how worry works in our brains.

Worry is a natural part of our survival mechanism, helping us stay safe and react quickly in dangerous situations. It's the alarm that helps us...

Hi Brave Friends,

In the fast-paced and demanding world we live in, it's easy for parents and children to neglect their own well-being while attending to the responsibilities of daily life. However, self-care is not just a luxury but a crucial aspect of maintaining a healthy and balanced life for both parents and children. Taking care of one's mental and physical health is not only essential for personal well-being but also for fostering stronger family bonds and promoting a positive environment.

For parents, self-care practices range from simple strategies like getting enough rest, setting boundaries, and engaging in hobbies to more profound exercises like mindfulness and seeking support from loved ones. Embracing these practices can help parents maintain their sense of self amidst the responsibilities of parenthood and foster a healthier, more nurturing environment for their children.

Self-care Tips for Parents:

1. Prioritize sleep.
2. Set boundaries and take personal time.
3. Engage in...

Happy International Day of Friendship!

Today is a beautiful opportunity to embrace the power of human connection and solidarity.

At The Brave Girl Project, we believe that fostering strong bonds of friendship can lead to positive transformations in our world and within ourselves. This year, we invite you and your amazing daughter to join us in celebrating this special day by sharing a message of love, kindness, and self-empowerment to your friends and yourself. 

What is the International Day of Friendship?

The United Nations proclaimed the International Day of Friendship in 2011 with the vision that friendship has the potential to inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities, countries, cultures, and individuals.

Together, We Can Make a Difference!

This International Day of Friendship, let's come together as a community, embracing the values of love, understanding, and respect for one another.

Here are some ways you and your daughter can celebrate and make a...

Hi Brave Friends,

This last week in The Brave Girl Tribe, my virtual online community for girls in 5th to 8th grade, one of my girls asked for tips on how to handle if you have a friend that is nice to you but mean to other people and you are starting middle school together in the fall.

It can be a challenging situation to navigate. Here is the advice that I shared with her to help her manage this situation:

1. Recognize their behavior: Acknowledge that your friend might struggle with social skills or feel insecure around new people. This can help you approach the situation with empathy and understanding.

2. Discuss their behavior privately: Find an appropriate time to talk to your friend privately. Express your observations about how they come across to others and how it might affect their ability to form new friendships. Be gentle and non-judgmental in your approach.

3. Offer constructive feedback: Provide specific examples of situations where their behavior may have...

Hi Brave Parents,

Is your teen stressed about getting a job?  Maybe they just don't know where to start, feel overwhelmed, and simply are stuck and not taking action.

I know as a parent, we want the best for our tweens and teens, and part of that involves equipping them with the necessary skills to succeed in life. I recently shared in a Facebook Live my new course, Success Starts Here.

This is a  comprehensive online program designed to empower young individuals with the knowledge and tools they need to thrive professionally. 

Here are some of the reasons that you need to get this course for your tween or teen.

Filling the Gap in Traditional Education:
One of the key reasons why the Success Starts Here course is crucial for tweens and teens is that it fills a significant gap in traditional education. While schools provide academic knowledge, they often overlook essential life skills vital for workplace success. This course bridges that gap by teaching practical skills...

Hi Brave Friends,

Welcome fellow adventurers, to a world of empowerment and growth!

Picture this: a virtual gathering of bright minds, a tribe of brave girls ready to conquer the challenges of middle school with confidence and resilience. Step into The Brave Girl Tribe, a remarkable online community dedicated to empowering and supporting girls in the transformative journey from 5th to 8th grade.

During one of our recent coaching calls within The Brave Girl Tribe, we embarked on a journey of identifying life skills needed for success in middle school. It was a thought-provoking and enriching session where the girls and I delved into the social and emotional aspects that play a crucial role in their growth and well-being as they prepare to transition into high school.

We compiled a list of the life skills needed in middle school. Lots of the girls are practicing some of these important skills this summer, and the attached video may be the perfect inspiration for your...

A Disturbing Pattern
Young women between the ages of 18 - 24 are three times more likely to be abused by an intimate partner, especially in cases where they don't have a lot of relationships with other women.

Even when they do, only 33% of young women tell anyone about the abuse they experience when it happens.

They might be confused or even ashamed. Young women in this situation often blame themselves or think that something they did caused them to deserve the abuse they experienced. 

If you have concerns that your daughter might be experiencing dating violence, it is crucial to be alert and knowledgeable about the warning signs.

Here's what you should look out for:

1. A partner that wants to know where she is at all times.
2. A partner that insists on checking her communications.
3. Her dating partner is angry when she spends time away from them.
4. A partner that tracks your daughter using GPS, Apps, or Apple AirTags.
5. A partner makes negative comments about her appearance,...

Did you know that dating relationships among girls can start as early as 6th grade, and these early relationships are becoming more prevalent?

While these relationships may initially seem harmless, studies reveal that many girls in this age group can experience violence within such relationships. In many cases, "dating" doesn't mean much besides spending time together. Statistically, 72% of 13 and 14-year-olds are "dating," but even girls at this age can experience violence in a dating relationship. Discussing the signs of an abusive relationship early is important because fostering a healthy parent/child relationship can stop the violence before it happens.

A pattern of abuse established in adolescence can lead to:

Substance Abuse:
One of the distressing consequences of enduring abuse in adolescence is the increased risk of developing substance abuse issues. Teens trapped in abusive relationships may turn to drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism to escape the emotional or physical...