How to Raise Confident Girls

By Contessa Archuleta on February 15, 2024

According to surveys, a majority of girls believe they are not good enough, and many often feel sad or hopeless. Research also highlights that their confidence tends to worsen during the teenage years and that social media is at least partly to blame.[i]

While most would agree this is unacceptable, how do parents and other loved ones identify and practice the right strategies to build girls’ confidence, help them feel fulfilled and realize their full potential?

To help with this critically important endeavor, we hosted the founders of Wonder Girls USA, Natalie Maniscalco and Irene Zervoudis, to share their insights on addressing the current emotional, physical and mental challenges young girls face today. Wonder Girls USA is an after-school program for middle and high school girls with a mission to build confidence, leadership, community spirit and the necessary business skills to succeed no matter what educational or career path they may choose.

Examples of the perspectives and strategies they shared include:

Creating a safe space at home by simply listening and fighting the urge to instantly respond
Shifting from protecting to preparing
Providing activities with clear end goals but no step-by-step instructions
Accepting girls’ goals even when they may differ from your goals for them
Leading by example, including by being kind to ourselves
Turning off and steering away from social media

To learn additional details and ideas from Maniscalco and Zervoudis, watch “Raising Confident Girls.”

Also, for more resources around well-being, please reach out to us. We recognize the inextricable link between emotional health and wealth and are here to support you and your family on your journey toward achieving both.

Listen to the Webcast

[i] Wonder Girls, https://www.wondergirlsusa.org/did-you-know. Accessed March 9, 2023.

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