A Twilight Kiss

Photo Courtesy of RadarOnline.com
Photo: Bauer Griffin

Bella Swan may have been more the adult one in her mother – daughter relationship with her mom Renee, but, at least the two shared a close bond despite the fact that The Twilight Saga heroine did keep a BIG secret from her scatterbrained mother, such as having a vampire for a boyfriend.

If you’re a parent or guardian with a young daughter or charge, you may have some concerns regarding her growth and safety in school. In this regard, Dove would like to share some tips in their efforts to raise the self-esteem of young ladies. Some common situations are prevalent among teens all over the world, which Dove hopes to address with its Campaign for Real Beauty

The tips below may partially resolve some of the challenges that Bella Swan faced in her growth as a young adult in Twilight, such as, having low self-esteem when it came to her looks as compared to the gorgeous Edward Cullen, her confusion with regards to her feelings for her very attractive male classmate, and, ironing out her relationships with her female friends like Jessica.

Every Parent’s Back-to-School Tip Sheet for Today’s Teen Girl

1. Body Image Breakdown: When girls feel bad about their looks, more than 70%, ages 15-17, avoid normal daily activities such as attending school.

o TIP: Your daughter’s body image starts with you! Show her each and every day how great you feel about your body and your looks. That will begin to set the tone in teaching your daughter about appearance and what it means to be proud of who she is – inside and out.

By not insisting your daughter looks a certain way — whether it is what she wears, how her hair looks or how she has to behave in what she is wearing — you will build the foundation for how she sees her body and the importance of how she looks.

2. Crush Crisis: Does he like me? Will he ask me to the dance? How can I get him to notice me?

Having a crush can be so exciting, but also confusing and potentially heart-breaking.

o TIP: Remember how you felt when you had your first crush? Try not to minimize your daughter’s feelings. Instead, speak to her with compassion about her questions or uncertainties. Teach her about healthy romantic relationships, how to tell when someone is really into you and what to expect from them.

When she tastes rejection for the first time, make sure you have extra hugs ready!

3. Frenemies: Frenemies are defined as relationships in which girls behave as half friends and half enemies. This could mean your daughter is bullying or spreading rumors/secrets about her friends or having the same done to her.

Self-esteem plays a crucial role in determining a girls’ tendency to engage in this type of behavior. In fact, 75% of girls with low self-esteem reported engaging in negative activities, such as disordered eating, cutting, bullying, smoking, or drinking, when feeling badly about themselves.

o TIP: Talk to your daughter regularly and let her know you are aware of things that go on in school. If you suspect your daughter is bullying, tell her this is not acceptable behavior. Help her learn other ways to deal with anger and frustration and help her understand how her actions have affected the person she has been picking on.

If your daughter is the victim of a frenemy, make sure she understands it is not her fault. Talk about ways of responding to this – role play with her, acting out different scenarios she might encounter. Encourage her to walk away from a friendship that harms her and make other friends.

For more tips, please visit the Dove website.

Thanks to Brian of RocketXL, who sent me an email with the tips on behalf of Dove

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