8 Powerful Ways to Raise Resilient Girls
In the transformative tween years, nurturing resilience in our girls becomes essential and as caring adults, we can equip them with tools to face challenges, bounce back from them, and emerge stronger.
Let’s dive into the BaseCamp Girl business of empowering our tweens. Think of yourself as a guide on a backcountry trek, showing your tween how to navigate the rocky terrain of adolescence. You’re helping her become a powerhouse, ready to tackle whatever lies ahead on the trail to confidence. Here are eight things to work on.
Model Resilience
You’re not just a mentor—you’re a trailblazer. Share your tales of conquering challenges, whether it’s the time you faced a major setback at work or pushed through a tough situation with a friend. Your openness creates steady guideposts for your tween as she learns to navigate her own path. After all, resilience isn’t about avoiding rough patches but about learning to adjust your footing and keep moving forward.
Learn to See Obstacles as Opportunities
Challenges, by definition, are hard. They knock us down and make us question our worth and abilities. But avoiding them is like trying to hike without ever encountering a steep climb—it’s just not realistic. Teach your tween to flip the script and see obstacles as stepping stones. Each one is an opportunity to build strength, just like every uphill stretch of a hike leads to a better view.
Maybe she’s struggling with a difficult school subject or dealing with a friendship issue. Help her reframe it. You can say something like, “This is like hitting a tough incline on a hike. It feels impossible, but once you reach the top and look at where you’ve been, you’ll be amazed at what you’ve accomplished.”
Cultivate a Growth Mindset
Remind your tween that the magic word in tough situations is yet. “I haven’t mastered this yet.” “I haven’t figured this out yet.” It’s like learning to read a trail map—just because she’s never done it before doesn’t mean she won’t get the hang of it with practice.
For example, if she’s frustrated by not making the soccer team, remind her that no one summits a mountain on their first hike. With persistence and practice, she can build her skills and try again. The Summit section of BaseCamp Girl addresses having a growth mindset.
Encourage Problem-Solving Skills
Encouraging problem-solving skills helps your tween draw her own roadmap—or, in BaseCamp Girl speak, her own hiking map—to navigate life’s challenges. When she learns to assess a situation, weigh her options, and take the next best step, she’ll develop confidence in her ability to handle whatever comes her way.
Build a Supportive Network
Help your tween build a squad that rivals the strongest trail team. Friends who lift her up are like sturdy hiking boots—essential for the journey, offering support and protection when the terrain gets rough.
BaseCamp Girl, Camp Three is all about friends and friendships and your tween can learn how to identify friends who bring out the best in her and the importance of building a strong, supportive network.
Celebrate Victories, Big and Small
No matter how big or small, a win is a win! Acknowledge your tween’s efforts, perseverance, and accomplishments. Positive reinforcement is the trail mix that fuels resilience, keeping the journey exciting and energizing.
Promote Self-Care Practices
Resilience begins with self-care and thrives on it. Just like a hiker needs to stay hydrated and pace herself, your tween needs to care for her body, mind, and emotions. Teach her the importance of rest, movement, and doing things that bring her joy.
BaseCamp Girl, Camp Five focuses on self-care. Help your tween discover activities that create balance, relaxation, and renewal in her mind and body—her personal version of a refreshing break at a scenic overlook.
Nurture Emotional Intelligence
The grand finale—the summit of resilience. Help your tween identify and express emotions, and to feel them, without judgment. Teach her that emotional resilience is like being a seasoned climber: it’s not about avoiding the steep sections but about knowing how to handle them with strength and skill.
Conclusion
Building resilience in tween girls is like preparing for a long hike—it takes patience, preparation, and a solid mindset. Embrace challenges, nurture a growth mindset, and create a supportive environment where she feels safe to learn and grow.
The best way to help your tween is to walk alongside her, leading by example. BaseCamp Girl teaches tween girls about resilience and gives you the opportunity to have important conversations with her about it. Click here to learn more.
And like we say at the end of every BaseCamp Girl video, You got this!