|
|
(HealthNewsDigest.com)-So, what did you do today? If the answer is “fed the homeless,” “provided expert testimony to congress,” or “designed a national business plan,” you might be an emerging world leader. Or you might be a 12-year-old Girl Scout.
After learning that people have a limited view of what Girl Scouts do, the 98-year-old Girl Scout organization has launched a campaign to show girls all the opportunities it offers today. Girl Scouts today build robots, go rock climbing, study fashion design, consult with the United Nations and meet with legislators to advocate for themselves and others.
• They use a brand new program to instill leadership skills and to help girls take action to make the world a better place. From the Girl Scout Brownie troop that convinced City Hall to install a sidewalk on a dangerous road, to the teen Girl Scouts who recycled hundreds of cell phones and batteries. And they tackle tough issues from cyberbullying to body image.
While cookies and camping will still be around, camping now also can mean Space Camp or Camp CEO, which teams girls with leading women executives from local businesses for a mentoring experience in a camp setting.
What Parents Can Do
Helping girls become leaders is all about increasing their confidence, which is the most important factor in whether girls decide to pursue leadership actively, according to a 2008 study from the Girl Scout Research Institute. Here are some tips from the Girl Scouts on fun ways parents can encourage leadership qualities:
• Talk with your daughter about the accomplishments of extraordinary people from history and about family members who showed leadership at crucial moments. Discuss the options they had and how making the right choice influenced others.
• Encourage girls to get involved in planning and overseeing family, school and/or community events.
• Give girls the opportunity to practice speaking in front of others. Only 24 percent of girls consider themselves a good speaker, according to Girl Scout research.
• Do your best to be an inspiring role model. Parents, especially mothers, are a primary influence on the lives of their daughters.
• Volunteer together. Girls especially are interested in making a difference in the world around them. Partner with your daughter to show your support for her desire and ability to change the world.
Learn More
To learn more about Girl Scouting and the “What Did You Do Today?” campaign, visit www.girlscouts.org or call (800) 478-7248.
Subscribe to our FREE Ezine and receive current Health News, be eligible for discounted products/services and coupons related to your Health. We publish 24/7.
HealthNewsDigest.com
For advertising/promotion, email: [email protected] Or call toll free: 877- 634-9180