Girl Power: How to be an excellent mentor for young girls

Every young person needs someone to look up to. That person, their mentor, can completely reshape their lives. Mentorship for young girls is super important. It’s a well known fact that when we support the empowerment and growth of young girls through mentorship, we improve the lives of everyone around us. How can you, as your daughter’s parent, become a better mentor? There are a few pretty simple answers.

How to become an excellent mentor for young girls

1. Be supportive: The most important way to be an excellent mentor for young girls is to be 100 percent supportive of them. Middle school aged girls are undergoing new struggles on a daily basis. It’s important for you to be there for them every step of the way.
2. Foster decision making skills: Good mentors don’t judge young people for their decisions. Instead, they encourage a belief that they can make good choices for themselves. This can help young people think through decisions at a critical level.
3. Listening actively: For many teens, a huge complaint about adults can be based around their lack of care when it comes to listening to them (and actually hearing what they have to say). A good mentor for young girls listens first and speaks after teens have said everything they have to say.
4. Providing Insight: As their parent, you have experienced so much more than your daughter. If your daughter is dealing with something similar to a struggle you once experienced, talk about what you experienced. She can take from your experience and use it in her own life.
5. Have high expectations for them: Push your daughter, but not too hard. She needs encouragement to work harder than she imagined she could. But don’t make her over exert herself. She may end up resenting you if she feels too stressed.
6. Play to your daughter’s strengths: Focusing on your daughter’s strong points can help her feel more confident in everything else she does. Encourage her to join extracurriculars she feels passionate about.

Asheville Academy can help

Asheville Academy, a therapeutic boarding school for girls ages 10-14, helps girls struggling with emotional and behavioral difficulties find success. We believe that being a great mentor for young girls is important for their future happiness.
 
For more information about Asheville Academy, please call 800.264.8709