top of page
Search

What She Truly Needs From You--Parental assist for raising confident girls

  • Writer: Teri Moore-Alexander
    Teri Moore-Alexander
  • Feb 10
  • 4 min read

Raising Confident Girls in a Growing World:

97% of all girls have self esteem issues--
97% of all girls have self esteem issues--

Raising girls today is an incredible journey filled with discovery, growth, and meaningful moments. Girls are learning who they are, what they believe, and how they want to show up in the world. Parents often wonder how to best support their daughters as they grow into confident, capable young women.


The greatest gift you can offer is steady presence, encouragement, and guidance that helps her trust herself and embrace her unique path. Here are powerful ways to support the girl she is becoming.

1. Create Strong Connection Every Day

A strong relationship builds trust, openness, and confidence. When girls feel heard and valued, they are more willing to share their thoughts, dreams, and experiences.

Spend time listening, asking thoughtful questions, and celebrating who she is becoming. Connection creates the space where she feels safe to grow, explore, and express herself fully.

2. Encourage Meaningful Belonging

Friendships and shared experiences play a huge role in a girl’s sense of identity. Help her explore activities, clubs, and communities where she feels welcomed and appreciated.

As she meets new people and discovers her interests, she begins to understand what kind of friendships uplift her and where she feels most like herself.

3. Help Her Develop a Strong Sense of Self

Confidence grows when girls recognise their strengths, values, and individuality. Celebrate her effort, creativity, and courage. Encourage her to express her ideas, explore new passions, and develop her own voice.

As she learns more about who she is, she gains the confidence to move forward with authenticity and purpose.

4. Teach Healthy Digital Awareness

Technology is a natural part of modern life and offers opportunities for creativity, learning, and connection. Talk with her about the content she enjoys and the people she follows online.

Encourage her to engage with creators, educators, and communities that inspire growth, learning, and positive self-expression.

5. Celebrate Beauty in Every Form

Girls flourish when beauty is celebrated as confidence, kindness, strength, and individuality. Speak positively about bodies, abilities, and personal style.

Highlight what her body allows her to accomplish — movement, creativity, expression, and adventure — and help her see beauty as something that shines from within.

6. Build Open, Honest Communication

Ongoing conversations help girls feel confident asking questions and sharing experiences. Talk regularly about relationships, respect, personal values, and healthy decision-making.

Providing guidance and encouragement gives her the tools she needs to navigate life with wisdom and confidence.

7. Support Her Journey Toward Independence

Every girl is growing into her own unique person with her own dreams and direction. Offer guidance while allowing space for exploration and learning through experience.

Celebrate her milestones, encourage her curiosity, and remind her that growth is a lifelong adventure filled with discovery and possibility.

Raising girls is one of the most meaningful journeys you will ever experience. Along the way there will be laughter, learning, proud moments, and beautiful memories as you watch her step confidently into the person she is becoming.

When girls feel supported, valued, and encouraged, they develop the confidence to lead, create, and shine in every space they enter.


15 Key Statistics About Girls Today

Self-Esteem & Confidence

  1. Around 35–40% of adolescent girls report feeling “not good enough” at some point during their teen years. Source: Common Sense Media, 2022 (link)

  2. Girls’ self-esteem tends to drop sharply between ages 9–15, especially during early adolescence. Source: American Psychological Association, 2020 (link)

  3. 70% of girls say they compare themselves to others online at least sometimes. Source: Common Sense Media, 2022 (link)

Body Image & Social Media

  1. 37% of girls report frequent worries about their appearance, influenced by social media and peers. Source: Parents.com, 2021 (link)

  2. Girls who spend more than 3 hours/day on social media are more likely to experience body dissatisfaction. Source: BMC Women’s Health, 2022 (link)

  3. About 40% of adolescent girls feel pressured to look a certain way to fit in socially. Source: Dove Self-Esteem Project, 2021 (link)

Mental Health & Stress

  1. Roughly 1 in 3 adolescent girls report feeling stressed or anxious “most of the time.” Source: CDC, Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2021 (link)

  2. Girls are twice as likely as boys to experience depression symptoms by mid-adolescence. Source: WHO, 2021 (link)

  3. Academic pressure, social media, and peer expectations are top contributors to stress in teen girls. Source: Common Sense Media, 2022 (link)

  4. About 30% of girls report feeling burnout from school, extracurriculars, and social expectations. Source: American Psychological Association, 2020 (link)

Peer Relationships & Belonging

  1. Positive peer connections are strongly linked to resilience, motivation, and overall well-being in adolescent girls. Source: Moreno & Uhls, 2024 (link)

  2. 75% of teen girls say friendships are their most important source of support and happiness. Source: Girls Inc., 2021 (link)

  3. Belonging to clubs, teams, or organizations is associated with higher self-esteem and confidence in girls. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020 (link)

Identity & Personal Growth

  1. Girls who engage in leadership activities, community service, or creative programs report higher self-efficacy and self-confidence. Source: Tiggemann & Slater, 2022 (link)

  2. Girls with supportive adult mentors are 50% more likely to pursue challenging goals and feel capable in new experiences. Source: Mentoring.org, 2021 (link)


References (APA 7th Edition)

  1. Fardouly, J., Diedrichs, P. C., Vartanian, L. R., & Halliwell, E. (2022). Why don’t I look like her? How adolescent girls view social media and its connection to body image. BMC Women’s Health, 22, Article 345. https://bmcwomenshealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12905-022-01845-4

  2. Rodgers, R. F., Donovan, E., Cousineau, T., Yates, K., McGowan, K., Cook, E. C., & Lukowicz, M. (2025). Who is most at risk for body esteem problems after being on social media? Body Image, 17, 45–59. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451958825001526

  3. Moreno, M. A., & Uhls, Y. T. (2024). A systematic review of social media use and adolescent identity development. Current Psychology, 43, 1349–1365. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40894-024-00251-1

  4. Tiggemann, M., & Slater, A. (2022). Understanding adolescent self-esteem and self-image through social media behaviors. Women’s Studies International Forum, 92, 102564. https://www.wcwonline.org/Journal-Publications/understanding-adolescent-self-esteem-and-self-image-through-social-media-behaviors

  5. Fardouly, J., Pinkus, R. T., & Vartanian, L. R. (2022). The perfect storm: A developmental–sociocultural framework for the role of social media in adolescent girls’ body image concerns and mental health. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 878785. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9287711/

  6. Pipher, M. (1994). Reviving Ophelia: Saving the selves of adolescent girls. New York, NY: Ballantine Books.

  7. Parents.com. (2021). 37% of girls struggle with body image —

Comments

bottom of page