Teenage probably is that time of life when everyone wants to be reckless, rebellious, and free. A stage of drastic hormonal hum drum, teenage can be a time of difficulty both for the child undergoing the transitory phase and the parents. Both teenage boys and girls go through varied physical changes but at the emotional level the transition from childhood to adulthood is almost similar Thereof, parents with a girl child might look for the answers to the question ‘how to deal with a teenage girl?’
- Understanding The Problems:
Before knowing the solutions to a plethora of problems that teenage girls face, the very first is to become aware of what are the various problems, followed by acknowledging the issues and then stepping in to tackle them. Girls as compared to boys have a very complex working of the body. With the onset of adolescence, one of the most prominent changes occurs in their breast area, which for many girls, can be a reason for anxiety and in some cases guilt or shame. This is followed by issues like peer pressure, substance use and abuse, body image, self-esteem, menstruation and trauma, and so on. If one looks closely, then most of the problems are interlinked with each other.
- So What Is The Solution?
Before taking into account any of the below-mentioned solutions it is vital to understand the importance of mutual communication and a friendly environment. Any sort of pressure or coercion will only lead to conflicts and discrepancies.
Once these are taken care of, you can follow the given tips on how to deal with a teenage girl:
1. The Feel about Oneself (Body Image):
The dramatic changes in female sex hormone leads to few physical changes and these changes are quite hard to accept and deal with. This worries a teenage girl, in addition to society’s want of a ‘figure-perfect body’. For this -
- Keep a close eye on the girl and look out if she indulges in any self-deprecating thought process.
- Teach her it is okay to feel how she feels and all of it’s just fleeting.
- It is important to teach them about different body types and each one of them is beautiful on their own.
- Plus, make sure that the people she surrounds herself with are people who don’t make her feel about herself and how she looks.
- If needed, then you can also opt for personality development classes, which can help in building a positive body image.
2. Dwindling Self-esteem:
In a society more bound with patriarchal rules, that are more of male appreciation, teenage girls are meant to lose their self-esteem. Hence, it is necessary to make sure that –
- Push them to take up a sport or an athletic activity. This will help them to feel good about themselves and boost their sense of self.
- To channelize negative and self-deprecating thoughts, many experts recommend doing some creative activity, like painting, writing, or learning an instrument.
- Ask your girl child to be friends with only appreciative and supportive people, give no heeds to toxic ones.
- In some cases, you can also look for the best personality development guru around you and then let the expert do their work.
3. Drop the curtain of Sexual Talks:
Teenage is also a time of sudden increase in the flow of sex hormones and this only adds up to the pre-existing challenges. It is vital to talk about this as it leads to an inbuilt pressure and a sense of guilt, which in the first place should not exist. For this make sure –
- You create a friendly environment for girls to talk about their personal issues without the fear of getting judged or reprimanded.
- Teach them it is always alright to say no to sexual intercourse and about the importance of consent.
- Make sure that you, from your side, educate her about sex and various facets. It is vital, even more, in today’s world to know about this.
4. Undermining and Bullying:
Teenagers can act on each other either verbally or physically to make one feel about oneself in the form of bullying. Girls, especially more so, are the common victim of such attacks in institutional places. This has severe consequences on the girl’s mind and how she leads her life. Make sure -
- You, as a parent, gain her trust and feel comfortable enough to discuss such issues with you.
- If you feel she is being bullied then first you can ask her to stand up for herself and if needed, you go and confront the bully yourself. Just make sure you don’t overlook it.
- Share your past experiences, if any, or teach her the ways to cope with such situations in the future.
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5. Peer Pressure And Depression:
Peer pressure has deteriorating effects on the mind and behavior of teenage girls as they are forced to act in a certain way, opt for a certain career, do certain kinds of things, and more. If prolonged this can lead to problems like anxiety and depression. For this remember –
- Teach your girl child how singular she is in her own way and it is always okay to like or choose certain things that her peers don’t like or might approve of.
- It is her opinions, thoughts, lifestyle, and other such factors that decide who she is and not what others say.
- And most importantly, teach her that losing or cutting off people who are toxic for you or make you feel bad about yourself is completely fine.
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Once you know the answers to the question ‘how to deal with a girl child?’ make sure you start implementing all these in a phased manner with a whole lot of patience. After all, teenagers are all about patience. Also, it is vital to make sure that parents create a home environment for teenage girls that is appreciative and not bound by insensitive patriarchal rules. Give a teenage girl freedom and make sure you develop both in yourself and as well as her a habit of healthy communication.
