The Brave Girl Blog Navigating Friendship Challenges and Confidence

Are you ready to make this summer an incredible time for your tween or teen daughter to develop valuable skills, boost her confidence, and embark on a journey of self-discovery?

Recently, one of my coaching clients, a fantastic fifth-grade girl, expressed her interest in getting a job over the summer. She even wanted to learn how to create a resume! Witnessing her enthusiasm and determination reminded me of my own childhood adventures.

This young girl's aspiration to have a summer job resonated with me and reminded me of a video I recently watched featuring former First Lady Michelle Obama. She beautifully expressed that life is all about practicing who you want to be, and your daughter can practice becoming the incredible person she aspires to be during this summer season. Even at a young age, getting a job can be a fantastic way for her to develop important skills and qualities.

Here are 10 important reasons why it is beneficial for tweens and teens to have a job:

1. Financial...

Hi, Brave friends!

In this blog post, I'll share five choices that can help you and your tween or teen daughter effectively work through problems.

Do you often find yourself or your child struggling to solve problems? 

It's important to approach problem-solving from a bigger perspective, enabling us to explore different choices and move forward rather than getting stuck in the details.

Choice #1 - Fix the Problem:

When facing a problem, the first choice is to focus on finding a solution. It might require thinking creatively and coming up with unique approaches. Often, we tend to feel overwhelmed and frustrated for longer than necessary. Encouraging your daughter to believe in herself and her problem-solving abilities is crucial. Allowing her to solve the problem on her own is equally important.

Choice #2 - Change Your Attitude:

Sometimes, the problem lies not in the situation but in how we perceive it. By changing our attitude and looking at the problem from a different...

Greetings, Fearless Readers!

I am thrilled to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with you. 

I am excited to share the inspiring story of my dear friend, Hanh Bui, who has just published her first book, "The Yellow Áo Dài." This heartwarming story explores themes of family, identity, and remembering those who came before.

Hanh's journey is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. As a child, she and her family fled war-torn Vietnam in search of safety and a new beginning. Inspired by her experiences and the lack of representation in literature, Hanh became a teacher and worked to provide her students with books that reflected their diverse experiences.

"The Yellow Áo Dài" is the culmination of Hanh's efforts, and it is a book that every reader can enjoy and learn from. Join me on my blog to learn more about Hanh's journey, her book, and the importance of representation in literature.

Let's celebrate Asian Pacific American...

During a Sunday session for The Brave Girl Tribe, several girls expressed concern about how to respond when boys call them derogatory names, such as the 'B-word.'

I want to start by saying that this behavior is NEVER acceptable. Your daughter needs to know that she deserves to be treated with respect and kindness and that no one has the right to make her feel UNCOMFORTABLE or UNSAFE with their language or actions

As women, many of us have experienced some form of harassment. Educating our daughters about harassment and sharing different examples will help them recognize when they are mistreated and know how to respond. To help your daughter navigate these situations, I wanted to provide some examples of behaviors that may constitute harassment. She needs to be aware of these signs: Unwanted physical contact, such as groping or brushing up against someone in a sexual manner Unwelcome sexual comments, jokes, or gestures Pressure to engage in sexual...

I recently conducted a poll on Instagram asking my followers if they had ever been rejected by a friend who joined a more popular group. Shockingly, 100% of them had gone through this experience. In The Brave Girl Tribe, this is a common topic among the girls.

Pursuing popularity can be problematic as it often overrides healthy social skills. For teens, popularity is more about social dynamics and seeking power and status, which can lead to fear and aggression among peers.

A study from the University of Virginia found that preteens who were most concerned about being popular tended to act older and more mature and were more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors. Interestingly, the group of tweens who acted more mature were the more popular kids in middle school but were the least socially successful as young adults.

To help your daughter seek genuine friendships rather than the pull of popularity, ask her what qualities she values in her friends and if her current friends meet...

Get ready to be swept away on a thrilling literary journey this April! 

 The Fearless Readers of the Brave Girl Tribe are here to recommend not one but two incredible books that are guaranteed to captivate your imagination.

First up is "The House Swap" by the talented Yvette Clark. This sweet and emotional book offers two unique perspectives on family and belonging.

Brave Girl Tribe Fearless Readers also recommend "Glitter Gets Everywhere," author Yvette Clark's debut novel that explores grief, change, and hope.

 If you're a mom of a girl or a teen, the Brave Mom Book Club on Facebook is the perfect place.

Last month we read "The Anxiety Audit" by the fantastic Lynn Lyons. This book is packed with valuable insights and practical tips for raising teenagers in the age of anxiety. If you want to watch the main takeaways from this book, join The Brave Mom Book Club on Facebook, dads are also welcome to join us.

Join our supportive community of brave moms as we...

Is your daughter a caring, attentive friend who helps out her friends as much as she can? However, when your daughter is struggling and needs the same caring, thoughtful friend, she seems to be alone. 

A lot of the girls I work with are so sweet and want to help their friends, but many heartaches happen because they don't have the boundaries they need to keep themselves safe in their relationships.

In The Brave Girl Tribe, we learned about boundaries, and I used Nedra Glover Tawwab's book Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide To Reclaiming Yourself, as a resource. If your daughter is struggling to set boundaries, this book may be a great resource. 

Why is setting boundaries so challenging for your daughter?

Here are the nine reasons that might make setting boundaries challenging for your daughter. Please share this list with your daughter and see which ones are tough for her. You can even share what is challenging for you. 

1. You fear being seen as...

Have you ever felt not yourself? 

You might feel like something is a bit off. You might have a hard time connecting to your thoughts and your feelings. You might be feeling stronger emotions and not fully understanding why. 

The other week I did not feel like myself at all. I felt very disconnected, stressed, overwhelmed, and emotional. It was tough, and I did shed some tears. Fortunately, I am feeling better as I write this blog post thanks to the help from some friends and my steps to help get myself back on track and feeling more like me. 

I know I am not alone in feeling overwhelmed, and I can't imagine the stress level that you may be experiencing in school. It is a lot to manage, and if you were home all last year, you might feel like a rubber band being stretched to the breaking point. 

Here are the Ten Tips to Help When You Are Not Feeling Like Yourself. 

Tip 1 

Start with a brain dump. 

Take a sheet of...

Hi Brave Girls,

Today we are doing a meditation based on Thich Nhat Hanh’s, A Handful of Quiet.

You will need 4 pebbles.

The first pebble is your flower. It is a reminder of being fresh and open. It also reminds us to see the beauty and possibilities around us.

The second pebble represents your mountain. The mountain pebble reminds us that we all are solid and calm inside. This helps our friends see us as reliable. It reminds us that we can depend on ourselves.

The third pebble represents calm water. When you look at the lake's calm surface, you can see the reflection of the clouds, the sky, and the mountains. Calm water helps reflect what is truly there. This pebble reminds us to find our calm.

The fourth pebble represents space and freedom. Space is freedom, and freedom is the foundation for true happiness.

Holding these pebbles while meditating can help you stay in the present moment. I love feeling the different textures of my pebbles and the cool touch!

...

Hi Brave Friends,

As part of the Inner Spring Cleaning, I will be sharing weekly meditations. 

This week we start with a Loving Kindness Meditation to help inspire compassion for yourself, family, friends, and even those people that bring up negative emotions in you.

There is a free Love and Kindness Journaling Page that is included in The Inner Spring Cleaning Mental Health Cleanse Journal that you can download. Do this quick activity after your meditation!  This will really help you deepen your experience.

Meditating has been the one thing that has truly made a difference in how I feel and how I react to everyday stressors in my life. 

I would love to hear your thoughts after doing this practice. Please leave a comment below.

I have a poster that you can print out and keep by your workspace so that you can do this practice anytime.

 Wishing you a wonderful day!

Love,
Laura