Parents and caregivers are becoming increasingly aware of why girls need social and emotional support, but you may not realize that you need support too. Don’t worry, that’s why we’ve included you in our Girl and Grown-Ups workshop series. One thing we repeatedly hear from parents and caregivers who participate in our family-based programs is that adults are surprised by what they gain from the programming.
Our programs for kindergarten + 1st grade, 2nd + 3rd grade, 4th + 5th grade, and 6th, 7th, + 8th grade families are designed to help equip girls and grown-ups with practical communication skills to help navigate relationships, confidence, and more, while deepening family bonds along the way. We just opened registration for our final round of virtual family-based programs for 2022, so be sure to secure your spot!
Not sure if you need this? Here are 5 reasons why you may need social and emotional learning support, courtesy of parents and caregivers who have taken our programs with their girls.
1. The adult struggle is real
It’s no surprise that everyone is struggling with something, as we navigate coming back into the world and dusting off relationships. One parent shared that she was moved to sign up after browsing our program offerings. “These were all topics my 40-something friends and I were struggling with and talking about — a lot. I was so excited to find a forum for change and a well thought out program that was developmentally appropriate,” they said.
2. Many adults need to re-learn communication skills
If you don’t feel like you received much in the way of emotional and communication skills as a kid, you’re not alone! “I ended up learning that most parents have to re-learn how we communicate with each other — to be frank and to use the positive strategies for conflict resolution,” shared one of our participants.
3. Learning together with a child is powerful
One participant shared that they came to the program looking for ideas and strategies for the early days of friendship for her 8-year-old, and came away with more. “I was surprised in the very first session that I was learning as much about friendship, conflict, and self-reflection as my daughter was. There were adult and child discoveries about power and appropriate apologies that had some of us in tears — it was profound.”
4. You don’t know what you don’t know
How can any of us expect to equip ourselves with relationship tools and strategies we have never been taught? “No one had told our girls these things because no one had told us. We were all hearing some of these things for the first time and it was pretty exciting. It was freeing,” shared a participant.
5. The work is not easy but is well worth it
Having trained educators to support families through social and emotional learning is effective. One parent shared, “This transparent and honest approach is hard; it feels vulnerable and it’s not easy. But it works. My daughter and I have both used Girls Leadership’s strategies and it has made a difference in our lives. We feel more secure, more empathetic, and more stable in our friendships. The vocabulary we discovered has helped my daughter to better describe her issues and her victories.”
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