5 Tips to help your tween girl become a physically and emotionally healthy woman

Don’t you love the drama of the tween years? Though you may be tempted to
throw your hands in the air and give up on your tween daughter, you really do
have the ability to bond with your tween girl and help her grow up into a physically
and emotionally healthy young woman. Here’s how...



Mom with tween daughter

1Talk, talk, talk with your tween

Everyone is texting and tweeting and no one is communicating.
Choose an activity you can do together to give you a chance to talk. My
daughter and I cleanse our skin together before bed, and I use those few
minutes as a time where she tells me about school, her friends and whatever
else is on her mind. If a child feels you are present and not distracted by your
cell phone, it will help her feel secure in herself going forward. After all, if your
own mother doesn't want to hear about your life, who will?
2

Don't be judgmental of your tween

Whether your daughter asks about shaving, getting her period, wearing                                      makeup or sex, you should be thoughtful and understanding. Do not change the subject,                make her feel ashamed for asking or tell her she is too young for such talk. She is looking
to you for guidance so she can feel confident in her decisions. Listen to her and assure her
you will always be there for her. Discuss the issue at hand, ask her what her friends are doing         and give her honest answers.

3Be a positive role model for your tween

If you encourage your daughter to eat healthy and exercise -- while you sit
on the couch eating chips -- you are sending her a mixed message. If you do not want
her to make your mistakes, take the opportunity to modify your behavior and ask for
her help. Clean out the junk food together and replace it with fruits and veggies.
Take a bike ride with her, do a fun workout DVD together and get healthy. Bonding over Beauty

4Encourage healthy social development with your      tween's peers

To a tween, having friends is everything. Make your home a place where her friends want  to come. Encourage her to invite girls over for sleepovers and plan lots of fun activities for them. You will get to know her friends and it will help her to develop strong friendships.  If she feels she has friends, it will improve her self esteem.

5Don't leave out your partner in raising your tween

Girls need both parents to help them develop healthy relationships going forward.
Having special one-on-one time with each parent -- preferably without the other siblings
present -- will make her feel special and give her the forum to talk about things she may
not want to discuss with the other parent. This will make her feel more secure and foster
better self esteem as she moves into womanhood.