15 March 2013 | 2.4MB - Hauraki Plains College

From the Guidance Dept:
I thought this was a superb message to those of us who have daughters. Many thanks to
The Parenting Place for allowing us to share it with you. I have ordered 2 copies of the
quoted book “Raising Girls”. If you would like to borrow a copy, just let me know.
Trevor Benns
School Counsellor
What our daughters
really need
My daughters are 16 and 13. So when I read in the paper
about teenage girls in Auckland having to be cut from a
stolen car after it crashed into a wall during a police
pursuit, I take notice.
In so many ways, it’s a great time to be a girl. They have more opportunities than
ever before. But they also have more pressures. Our popular culture is telling them
that to be accepted they have to look and act a certain way. Girls are indulging in
risky behaviour and they’re getting into trouble.
Not all girls of course, but some girls. The trick is keeping them on track. If there’s
one person who can help with that, it’s Steve Biddulph, author of Raising Girls. The
book is a great read and I’m really looking forward to hearing Steve speak at The
Parenting Place on 14 March.
It's not about being frightened for our girls, but about understanding they need a
guide to help them grow up strong and proud. As parents, we’re the best people to
do that - sometimes we just need some help knowing exactly what to do.
Steve Biddulph says there are three things in particular we can give our girls;
unrushed mums who take the time to listen to what’s going on in their world, dads
who think their daughters are amazing (and let them know it), and protection from a
media culture that is pressuring them to grow up too soon.
My two girls are very precious to me and I let them know as often as I can. We go
shopping, have coffee and simply chat about life - that time together is always one of
the highlights of my week.
Bruce and the team at The Parenting Place
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