Self Esteem Activities for Girls

With all the mixed messages a girl faces on television, in print and even at school, it's difficult for them to develop a sense of self-esteem on their own. From the time they hit the pre-teen years, girls begin to compare themselves to others and if they fall short of the Barbie-doll image, it oftentimes sends their confidence plummeting. Parents, mentors and teachers can all help to make a positive influence on girls by being involved with their lives, open to honest communication and engaging in self-esteem activities that will build on a girl's self-confidence.

Journaling

• Journaling offers opportunities for girls to write down their real feelings and connect with who they are on the inside. There are many guided journals a parent can find that will deal with specific topics a daughter might be facing. Some are fill-in-the-blanks and others offer ideas to think and write about. When working with a group, provide discussion topics such as: understanding the changes going on in their bodies, media coverage of celebrities and models and what is an ideal body image? Encourage them to write their thoughts and allow a time to share if they desire. Encourage open and honest discussion about the topic. There are no right or wrong answers.

Taking Safe Risk

• Instead of answering every question your daughter has, teach her how to find answers on her own. Take the time to show what resources are available for finding the answers to her questions. This gives her a sense of empowerment to know she has the ability to fix problems. Provide other challenges that will require she takes a risk in the safety of your supervision. Encourage her to make the desert for dinner. If she makes a mistake, don't try to fix it for her. Allow her to work out solutions on her own. Be patient. Only offer suggestions if she asks and keep letting her know that she is capable of working through it, that you have faith in her and are proud of what she has done so far.

Daughter Date Night

• Spending one-on-one time opens the chance of communication and time to slow down and just have fun together. Even if schedules are busy, find one evening a week when you can go out, if only for an hour. Go shopping or do some activity you enjoy together. Eat out a new restaurant or simply go for a walk. Use the time to discuss what's going on in her life. Ask pointed questions about her friends, who she likes to hang out with and what are the things that frustrate her most. Moms and dads can both schedule a date night. For girls, having time with dad is not only important to them but it establishes guidelines and standards for when they begin dating.

Inspirational Poster

• A fun family or group activity that has been tried and tested is creating a personal poster of words, pictures and items that have significant meaning. Provide several magazines and scan for headlines that proclaim an encouraging phrase such as: "You Are Beautiful," "Fantastic You," "Go Girl" and others. Next look for pictures that motivate and inspire such as colorful landscapes of places they would like to someday go. Find jobs they find interesting, favorite actresses or actors, and attach these to the poster, filling it up. Help girls find words that you think describe them. This is a chance to give input on how you see them in a positive, uplifting way. When it's finished, let them hang the poster to help them visualize just how wonderful and beautiful they are.