The Power of "Pretty"

Ever heard comments from your daughter along the lines of “I’m not pretty enough” or “I’m not thin enough”? What’s the best way to respond to instill her with self-esteem and a healthy perspective on her appearance? How can you help her to understand the billion-dollar merchandising effort aimed at her and to seize her power as an educated consumer?

Please join Raising Girls for a community conversation on The Power of “Pretty.” We’ll discuss our culture’s ubiquitous emphasis on beauty, how it impacts our girls, and the role appearance plays in the social and economic choices girls make. We’ll also discuss strategies for responding thoughtfully and proactively to the “culture of pretty” that surrounds us.

Raising Girls invites parents, educators and caregivers of girls to join this conversation.

Please consider some light reading and/or video viewing to enrich our dialogue on May 2. A resource list is available for download at the link below. Many thanks to Teton County Library and Sarah Long, MS, LPC for helping compile resources!

Questions about the event or want to add a resource to our list? Please contact Raising Girls Marketing & Events Director Annie Jack at info@raisinggirlswyo.org or 307.203.2454.

Recommended Reading/Viewing for May 2 »

An Evening with Meg Meeker, MD

On February 28, Raising Girls had the great pleasure of hosting pediatrician and bestselling author Med Meeker, MD at the Jackson Hole High School Auditorium. Over 250 parents, educators and caregivers joined us for an in-depth conversation and Q&A on topics ranging from girls’ self esteem to goal setting to father-daughter and mother-daughter relationships.

Dr. Meeker is one of the country’s leading authorities on parenting, teens and children’s health. Her books include Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know and The Ten Habits of Happy Mothers: Reclaiming our Passion, Purpose, and Sanity. Dr. Meeker has offered parenting guidance to a national audience on The Today Show, CNN American Morning, Dateline with Katie Couric, Oprah & Friends, 60 Minutes, Fox & Friends and National Public Radio.

After the event, one mother remarked: “Dr. Meeker was amazing! I could have listened to her for hours.” A couple said: “We appreciate Dr. Meeker’s no-nonsense approach and feel we now have practical, empowering tools to try out with our girls.” Another mother offered more generally about Raising Girls: “As a parent, I’m pleased to see this movement has begun in our community and hope it continues to gain momentum. We simply must be more thoughtful and consistent in leading our girls to success and helping them become thriving women!”

Download notes from the event »

Tantrums, Freak-Outs and Emotional Resilience: Tools for Managing Challenging Behavior and Nurturing Healthy Development in Girls Ages 2-10

Life with a daughter aged 2 through 10 can mean dramatic swings in emotions—both hers and yours. A single day with a little girl aged 2-10 may include tantrums and laughter, disappointment and elation, anger and affection. Is she managing her emotions in a healthy way? Are you helping her to learn to be resilient and cope with the highs and lows of life? In your efforts to protect her, are you making it harder for her to deal with emotional challenges?

For parents who wonder how they should treat the ups and downs in their daughters’ lives in order to foster emotional development, this free forum will provide a venue for discussion with professionals and other parents facing similar challenges. While there may be some girl specific information conveyed, the bulk of the presentation will provide valuable information for parents of both girls and boys.

Program panelists are Lisa Ridgway, MD, FAAP, a pediatrician with Jackson Pediatrics; Courtney Hanan Marvin, LCSW, Director of Sunshine Station preschool; Chris Moll, LCSW, Director of the Hirschfield Center for Children; and Ivy Assenberg, M.Ed., LPC, a counselor at the Jackson Hole Community Counseling Center.

Download Program Synopsis and notes from the event »

Panel Discussion: Safe Dating Practices

The “hook-up” scene in high school and college can overwhelm even the most confident of girls and challenge her developing sense of self, not to mention present very real pitfalls and consequences. On August 3, a panel of experts convened by Raising Girls will discuss safe dating practices and the realities of life as an adolescent female. The conversation is intended for young women in high school and college and their parents. Some of the content will be mature, therefore the event is most appropriate for families who have already begun a dialogue about dating and sexuality.

Program panelists are Maura Lofaro, MD, an obstetrician/gynecologist with Gros Ventre OB/Gyn; Connie Baumer, RN, an Emergency Room nurse and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner; Shannon Nichols, Education Director at Community Safety Network; and Jane Coe Smith, PhD, LCPC, a counselor at Idaho State University in Pocatello.

Download notes from the event »

Community Presentation: Raising Girls in a Digital World

Keynote Speaker: Lycia Carmody Fried
Board Member, Common Sense Media

Topics of discussion include: What does your family’s digital life look like? What are the rules for digital life in your home? How can parents encourage digital creativity?

This presentation is geared toward parents, caregivers and educators, but everyone is welcome. Admission is free.

Download notes from the event »

Book Discussion: The Curse of the Good Girl

New York Times Bestseller The Curse of the Good Girl examines how girls begin to assess who they are through relationships, with parents, friends, teachers and ultimately themselves. This book looks at what girls do to themselves in an attempt to be good, live up to standards and be “perfect.” It’s not about eating disorders or severe depression, but instead about the emphasis that girls put onto others’ feelings and how things outside themselves impact their choices and actions. It’s ultimately about letting go of the notion of being a “good” girl and choosing to be a “real” girl.

Download notes from the event »

Panel Discussion: A Conversation for Fathers

Doug George, MD and Stephen Lottridge, PhD offered insight on how to support your daughter in her adolescent journey.

Download notes from the event »