I have fallen in love. In love with a campaign that speaks so loudly to me as a Mother, that I want to shout it from the roof tops to anyone who will listen.
These are my two oldest girls. And they are being raised in a much different society than I grew up in.
It’s obvious, I enjoy social media and have been a fan of it since the beginning, hopping on when platforms when they first started, joining in online conversations, engaging in a whole new world that has lead me to meet many friends that I now call dear friends and sisters. But I often think how different my life might have been if “it” was around when I was younger. When I was in high school. When I was in college. Dating. Learning how to grow up. How the mean girls at school might have really hurt me with their words online, in front of a whole new audience (the world) instead of just at school. Or how terrible it would have been to have not been “liked” or as popular or as perfect as some of my other friends.
How could social media changed me?
I am not sure how it could have impacted me. Silly comments on a photo I thought was pretty. Seeing everyone at a party I wasn’t invited to. Not getting enough “likes” when I was hoping to have a bunch. Someone not being my “friend” who I thought was my friend. Feeling left out because I wasn’t there to be “in” the picture. The list can go on.
I have been struggling with the fact that my daughter is beginning to come of age where she is/ might be ready for the phone or ipod. To text. To view. To browse. To look at what everyone else is doing. (Just like I do…) To hop on a social network. I’m pushing it off as long as possible. I feel fortunate to know my daughters’ friends’ parents and we all share similar values and parenting styles. I personally don’t think she is ready. Ready for the heartbreak that is social media. I don’t want her to value being “liked” by a picture that wasn’t perfect.
I feel like I have so much work to do and I’m not sure where to start. I am raising three daughters in a world full of possibilities and promise. I want them to know and learn so much from me, and I don’t want social media to be a form of validation for them. But first there is education. Alot of education and growing up before we even get there.
Teaching Girls the POWER of Themselves
Education will be to teach our girls about being who they are, unique, different, tall, short, smart, funny, beautiful and so many more things. I just did a Girl Scout lesson on the POWER OF THEMSELVES. We are currently working on the Junior Agent of Change Journey and we did a collage of all the power words that they identified themselves with. Creative. Thinker. Leader. Quiet. Strong. Brave. Confident. Artistic. Imaginative. Considerate. We will be writing in our “Power Logs” every time we meet about how we use our super powers. Their stories were awesome! It was great to have them write it out. See in in color. Know that everything there is true and to have other say, “Yes! So true!”
The Dove Self-Esteem Project
Following along with the Dove Self-Esteem project has also made me realize that much more will need to be added to this lesson to incorporate educating the girls on this new element that is social media and how it can play into their lives. We need to change with the times so our girls are better equipped to know what matters and what REALLY matters.
I will definitely be following the #NoLikesNeeded campaign in hopes to help my girls know that they should feel free to be themselves. I hope to integrate their resources when we dive more into this journey with my Girl Scout girls, and more in my everyday life as I build up my own daughters in everything they do.
I hope you will share and think about talking with the girls in your life too. #NoLikesNeeded Follow along with me too as I walk through this journey. I’d love to learn about what you are doing too!