rbk mama Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 My DD (10) has a big group of girlfriends in the 8-12 age range who live nearby. I was thinking it would be fun to get them together for a series of activities to encourage them and help address some of the negative messages out there about what it means to be a girl. I'm thinking something secular, along the lines of Girls on the Run. With games/crafts, etc. thrown in. Does anyone know of anything like this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 It's an interesting things to plan something like this without inadvertently creating insecurities they didn't have before. I'll be interested to hear what you come up with. :) I think it is better to focus on skills rather than myth busting, in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Since I can't like Rosie's post, I'm echoing it here. Positive messages for girls far outnumber the negative, from my perspective. Or maybe I'm just not seeing it. I do hope you find what you are looking for. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandragood1 Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Anything that builds confidence and skills. Sports. Odyssey of the Mind. Robotics. Physics Circus. How big of a commitment are you wanting? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbk mama Posted March 17, 2017 Author Share Posted March 17, 2017 It's an interesting things to plan something like this without inadvertently creating insecurities they didn't have before. I'll be interested to hear what you come up with. :) I think it is better to focus on skills rather than myth busting, in general. Good point (bolded)! I wasn't thinking of myth busting, more of focusing on positive strengths, identity, teamwork, value of uniqueness. Anything that builds confidence and skills. Sports. Odyssey of the Mind. Robotics. Physics Circus. How big of a commitment are you wanting? Great ideas! Not sure on the commitment yet - a weekly series of 6-8 meetings? Not sure. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbk mama Posted March 17, 2017 Author Share Posted March 17, 2017 Since I can't like Rosie's post, I'm echoing it here. Positive messages for girls far outnumber the negative, from my perspective. Or maybe I'm just not seeing it. I do hope you find what you are looking for. Where I live, girls are outnumbered because they are aborted. They are taught many awful things from the culture - thier main purpose is to serve boys. Its also acceptable to be sxually harassed by boys - its considered the girls' fault when that happens, so they shouldn't complain. It's messed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Where I live, girls are outnumbered because they are aborted. They are taught many awful things from the culture - thier main purpose is to serve boys. Its also acceptable to be sxually harassed by boys - its considered the girls' fault when that happens, so they shouldn't complain. It's messed up. Ah. I shouldn't make assumptions about the cultural perspective you are coming from. It's helpful to know that. I think you have gotten some good ideas, if they are things you can implement where you are. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangerine Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 (edited) I run a book club (with boys and girls) that reads exclusively books with a female protagonist. We meet once a month, discuss the book, and do a themed activity. I like what we do because it just shows how many amazing ways there are to be a girl. As many ways as there are girls. Edited March 17, 2017 by Tangerine 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbk mama Posted March 17, 2017 Author Share Posted March 17, 2017 I run a book club (with boys and girls) that reads exclusively books with a female protagonist. We meet once a month, discuss the book, and do a themed activity. I like what we do because it just shows how many amazing ways there are to be a girl. As many ways as there are girls. Love this idea!! Can you share some of the books you've done? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 (edited) Outdoor adventure for girls. Learn that the outdoors is fun; learn independent and team building skills; learn to use outdoor bathroom facilities; learn that sun, wind, rain, cold is normal and healthy and not something that has to be avoided; learn what bugs, plants, snakes and animals to avoid and what to just observe and enjoy. Activities could include stuff like hiking, paddling, rock climbing, horseback riding, tree climbing, photography, building a hide and observing animals and birds. I'm so tired and saddened of hearing stories of women and girls who cannot "be" outdoors. There is so much to gain from being outdoors. Edited March 18, 2017 by wintermom 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangerine Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Love this idea!! Can you share some of the books you've done? Rooftoppers, Sacajawea, Savvy, Spirit's Key, Stealing Magic, The Apothecary, The Aviary, The BFG, The Borrowers, The Magic Half, All-of-a-Kind Family, Book of Wonders, Flora and Ulysses, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, Ronia the Robber's Daughter, The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, The Golden Compass, The Hero and the Crown, The Night Gardener, The Princess and the Goblin, The Sixty-Eight Rooms, Tuck Everlasting, Tuesdays at the Castle, One Crazy Summer, Fish in a Tree, Moon Over Manifest, The Gallery, Fablehaven, May B., Mary Poppins, Anne of Green Gables, The Hundred Dresses, My Life With the Chimpanzees 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Where I live, girls are outnumbered because they are aborted. They are taught many awful things from the culture - thier main purpose is to serve boys. Its also acceptable to be sxually harassed by boys - its considered the girls' fault when that happens, so they shouldn't complain. It's messed up. Ah. Well, it's interesting to be seeking a balance between breaking glass ceilings and valuing "women's work." For the former, you might find helpful ideas and biographies at http://www.amightygirl.com The other thing that might be necessary is proper health/sex ed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbk mama Posted March 18, 2017 Author Share Posted March 18, 2017 For the former, you might find helpful ideas and biographies at http://www.amightygirl.com The other thing that might be necessary is proper health/sex ed. What a fun site! I love the book suggestions, and Tangerine's as well! Yes, I would LOVE to do health/sex ed because the topic is simply ignored, but for various reasons, most parents would rather just avoid it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 What a fun site! I love the book suggestions, and Tangerine's as well! Yes, I would LOVE to do health/sex ed because the topic is simply ignored, but for various reasons, most parents would rather just avoid it. There are online resources for talking about healthy relationships, but that might be dangerous. Would Health be more acceptable if the mothers were invited? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Outdoor adventure for girls. Learn that the outdoors is fun; learn independent and team building skills; learn to use outdoor bathroom facilities; learn that sun, wind, rain, cold is normal and healthy and not something that has to be avoided; learn what bugs, plants, snakes and animals to avoid and what to just observe and enjoy. Activities could include stuff like hiking, paddling, rock climbing, horseback riding, tree climbing, photography, building a hide and observing animals and birds. I'm so tired and saddened of hearing stories of women and girls who cannot "be" outdoors. There is so much to gain from being outdoors. I'm curious where some of y'all are. It just sounds very different from the culture I'm used to - US, mid-Atlantic metro area (though I've lived in other places in the US). My kids have always seen women doing stuff on a par with men, without me seeking it out for them. (I did catch that the OP is in a very different culture.) The sentence I've bolded - it doesn't even make sense to me. I'm not arguing - I don't doubt other people's observations or experiences - but it's just foreign to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 I'm curious where some of y'all are. It just sounds very different from the culture I'm used to - US, mid-Atlantic metro area (though I've lived in other places in the US). My kids have always seen women doing stuff on a par with men, without me seeking it out for them. (I did catch that the OP is in a very different culture.) The sentence I've bolded - it doesn't even make sense to me. I'm not arguing - I don't doubt other people's observations or experiences - but it's just foreign to me. Pretty much every single outdoor activity, outdoor education, and camping course I've ever done has had a lot more males than females. Sure, there will be some females, but much fewer. I'm in urban Canada, several different cities. I've lived in urban and rural Norway as well, and it's a little better there, as outdoor activities is a huge part of their culture. The urban females have less outdoor experience and confidence, though. Growing up, most of my girl friends had a hard time visiting our family cabin because it was rustic. They had no experience and no desire to use the outhouse or even the indoor porta-potty. They were greatly dismayed by the lack of shower facilities. They might be able to hike for a bit, walk on a narrow path in the woods, but forget bush-whacking (and we had 0% of ticks in our woods, so that wasn't the issue). They just had no experience outdoors. If you've seen women doing outdoor stuff, and you've modeled it yourself for your children, then you are a lucky women in my eyes. Sure outdoor experience and confidence isn't necessary in many people's lives, but it does offer a very special medium for learning about oneself and learning to work together with others. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbk mama Posted March 18, 2017 Author Share Posted March 18, 2017 There are online resources for talking about healthy relationships, but that might be dangerous. Would Health be more acceptable if the mothers were invited? Maybe. Whatever I decide, I want to have it all laid out for the moms to look at beforehand, and I want to ask if one of them would be willing to assist me. I did a few workshops several years ago for a different batch of kids (mixed genders) on drugs/alcohol because some moms asked me too. What was interesting, though, is that there were some parents who didn't want their kids to attend because they felt that giving ANY information at all about these things might just encourage their children to partake. Like mentioning these things will jinx their kids somehow. I get the feeling that the sx talk, especially to girls, is viewed similarly - the less you know the better. I was talking with a young lady in her 20s about products for menses, and at one point she looked at me with rapt attention saying, "Do YOU know why it happens?" She had never been told and was so excited to find out! She had only finished 4th grade, though - I think that most girls who complete school are better off in terms of basic understanding, but it is still extremely limited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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