New findings on the development of the teenage brain are changing what we know about how young people process information and perceive the world around them. This knowledge has potential implications for the way parents interact with their teens and guide them through the challenges of adolescence. To find out more, GENaustin talked to Barb Steinberg, LMSW, a clinical social worker & teen life coach.

Research has shown that teen brains respond differently to facial expressions than adult brains.  For instance, when given a picture and asked to identify the emotion, where adults correctly identified fear, teens were more likely to respond that they saw anger or shock. What does this tell us about the development of the teenage brain?

 Teens are more likely to misread facial expressions. They assign more emotional content to faces than is actually being shown. This is because teens view facial expressions more with their amygdala—the brain area that experiences fear, threat and danger. Adults use their pre-fontal cortex (which in not fully developed in adolescence) for this process—the area of the brain responsible for reason and judgment. This is why many parents get asked by their teen if they are mad at them when in fact they are not feeling angry at all.

What effect does lack of sleep have on an adolescent’s cognitive functioning? How much sleep should they be getting each night?

Medical practitioners recommend that teens get at least nine hours of sleep a night. We know from the early hours of school starting to the late nights of homework, that many teens are not getting nearly enough sleep. Many experience an inability to go to sleep at night – feeling more energetic at 9 or 10pm due to their internal clocks shifting forward after the age of 10. This props them up when they should be feeling sleepy and causes heavy drowsiness upon waking. Teens are experiencing a sleep debt.

What are the repercussions of a sleep deprived teen?

• Feelings of despondency, poor grades, too tired to join/participate in teams
• Poor memory, lack of recall of lessons learned in school (the brain continues to consolidate/practice what is learned during the day while asleep – learning continues to take place while sleeping)
• Driving to school, sporting events, late-night parties while tired creates risks
• Less able to edit negative emotions

 Tips:

• Dim the lights at night and get lots of daylight in the morning to help with circadian rhythms
• Have a routine bedtime of 10 p.m.
• Sleep in a cool environment, turn off music, the Internet and televisions
• Try to get up after only an extra hour or two rather than “binge-sleeping” on the weekend

Experiments have shown teenagers take more risks than adults because they value the reward higher than adults, and that they also take more risks when friends are present. How do these finding translate practically to daily life?

 The back of the brain reaches maturity first. The last part of the brain to mature is the prefrontal cortex where planning, setting priorities, organizing thoughts, suppressing impulses and weighing the consequences of one’s actions are determined. The final part of the brain to grow up is the part that helps us make positive decisions and choose responsible behaviors.

 This helps to explain why we see risk taking behavior during adolescence. It creates an appetite for thrills, strong sensation, excitement and novelty. Teens’ peers provide novelty and they gravitate toward that.

Teens take more risks not because they don’t understand the danger but because they process risk versus reward differently. In situations where risk can get them something they want (like praise from friends) they value reward more than adults would in that same situation. For example, they may drive more carefully when alone in a car and take more risks when their peers are in the car. The feedback from their friends is a valued reward for them.

Taking risks can also be seen in positive ways. It is through taking risks that teens leave the comfort and safety of home and venture out into the unknown world .Their risk taking can be channeled into healthy explorations and independence.

Is there anything else you think is very important for parents to know about teenage development? How does knowing these things change the way parents should communicate with and respond to their teens?

It is helpful for adults/parents to remember that it is unfair to expect teens to have adult levels of organizational or decision making skills before their brains are done being built.  Knowing that their brain in still developing can help us to have some compassion for their behaviors, emotions, and decisions.

 Knowing what we know about the changes that occur in the brains of teenagers as they grow, what is the single most important thing for parents to know about raising a happy, healthy teen?

 We don’t know for sure how much conscious control kids have. We do know that making mistakes is part of how the brain optimally grows.

It might be more useful to help teens make up for what their brain still lacks by providing

• structure,
• organizing their time,
• guiding them through tough decisions (even when they resist) and
• applying those parental guidelines and values

The brain is wired for social interaction and bonding with caretakers. Studies show that when parents engage and guide their teens by staying connected but allowing independence, their kids generally do much better in life.

Knowing this information is helpful, but what else can you do? Barb offers these workshops to help you help your daughters deal with the challenges of adolescence:

Liking the Body She Has (for adults)
From Barbie dolls to the box office, the media is doing a powerful job of telling our girls how they should look – through extreme dieting, airbrushing and plastic surgery. Together we will change this. In this workshop parents of tween/teen girls, will:

• Learn how to identify thoughts and behaviors that lead to poor body image
• Establish strategies that will help to quiet her inner critic
• Obtain tools to build her confidence, help her appreciate the body she has and develop a kinder relationship with her body
• Discover how to create a positive body culture in your home

Date/Time: Saturday, Jan. 21, 9:30-11:00am
Location: The Griffin School, 5001 Evans Ave. 78751
Cost: $35/person

Register at www.barbsteinberg.com

 Empowering Your Daughter (for adults)
Girls today feel pressure to be “perfect” (straight A’s, a super athlete and supermodel beautiful). These pressures are damaging. An empowered girl is protected from these pressures for a lifetime.  This workshop will enable you to:

• Clearly understand empowerment and self-esteem
• Understand the societal causes of diminished empowerment in young girls
• Learn the consequences of girls giving up their power
• Discover the top ten ways to empower your daughter, improve her sense-of-self and help her to make positive choices

Date/Time: Thursday, Jan. 19th, 11:30-12:30pm
Location: Westlake High School Chaps Room, 4100 Westbank Dr. ; 78746
Cost: FREE and open to the public (part of the Eanes Parent Speaker Series)

Register at www.barbsteinberg.com

GENaustin is also offering workshops for adults this december and we have a variety of workshops year round for girls on bullying, body image and more.

The University of Southern California has just released a study analyzing the Top 100 Grossing Movies in 2009, and their findings reveal that significant gender inequality still exists both onscreen and off.

Some of the key findings:

· Off the films analyzed, only 32.8 percent of the speaking characters were female and 67.2% were male.

· Females were much more likely than males to be shown in sexy attire (25.8% vs. 4.7%), partially naked (23.6% vs. 7.4%), and attractive (10.9% vs. 2.5%). Looking at females specifically, 13- 20 year olds were just as likely as 21-39 year olds to be shown in sexy attire (33.8% vs. 33.5%, respectively)

· Only 22.2% of all speaking females are 40 to 64-years of age, whereas 35.2% of speaking males are 40 to 64 years of age. As women age in Hollywood, far fewer roles become available to them—and thus women have far fewer women who represent them on screen.

· Behind the camera, females accounted for only 3.6% of directors, 13.5% of writers, and 21.6% of producers. These numbers have remained the same over the last three years.

Looking at these findings, two things are immediately clear: First, that compared to men, the portrayal of women in popular cinema is limited, limiting, and reinforcing harmful gender stereotypes and expectations. Second,  that much of this representation no doubt originates from the fact that so few women hold positions of creative authority within Hollywood.

The state of television is not any better. In 2011, only 14% of network television writers were women. While women like Tina Fey receive accolades, and half of Community’s writers are women, it still remains that these women are exceptions in a television environment still dominated by men.

There is hope, however. In 2011, Bridesmaids, a comedy written by and featuring women, became a critical success while grossing over $287 million dollars. This is not a coincidence: the more women there are writing, directing and producing, the more non-cookie cutter roles for women will exist. The USC study found that the percentage of girls/women on screen is significantly higher when at least one female is involved in the directing or writing process. A 10.2% increase of females on screen is observed when one or more women are involved as screenwriters on motion pictures.

Clearly, the solution to the gender inequality that appears in television and movies is to fix the inequality behind the camera, so that women create roles for women that are empowering, non-sexist, and true to their lived experiences.

10 Things GENaustin’s Thankful for this Thanksgiving:

 10 ) All our facebook friends and followers on twitter, for your feedback, retweets, comments, and ideas.

9 ) The chance to learn about how the media alters images of women alongside girls at Hill Country Middle School this week at our “Media and Me” Girl Talk Workshop. See the Dove Evolution video for an example of what the girls are learning about unrealistic images of women in advertising.

8 ) Deep Fried Turkeys! But remember, Texas is #1 in the Nation for deep-fried turkey fires. Stay safe, y’all.

7 ) Our wonderful supporters, VIPs, and sponsors, for your help making the 2011 We Are Girls Conference such an amazing day.

6 ) Everyone who donated to the We Are Girls Scholarship campaign! Your generosity ensured every girl who applied was able to attend the Conference!

5 ) Ryan Gosling, for existing.

4 ) Our Executive Director, Julia Cuba, for her vision and guidance (and for bringing us delicious coffee beverages this morning).

3 ) Our amazing, dedicated ClubGEN, Girl Talk Workshop, and 180 Program volunteers. GENaustin would not be able to serve the number of girls we do without your time and dedication.

2 ) Marisa, Coordinator of our new  GirlConnect program and Krystal, our new Development Director. Welcome to GENaustin! We’re so glad you’re part of our team!

And most of all:

1) Every girl who attends GENaustin’s programs. Your insight, intelligence, courage and humor inspire & make us better, every day.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Adults talk a lot about what is hard about being a girl- and sometimes we don’t talk enough about all the things about being a girl that are wonderful. Since it’s almost Thanksgiving, we thought we’d highlight some of the things about being a girl girls told us they’re thankful for.

My favorite part of being a girl is being able to talk to other girls and learn things about them and understand what it is like to be them.

My favorite thing about being a girl is getting to go to Ann Richards!

I love that girls get to wear what they want to express themselves.

The best thing about being a girl is having the ability to empower other girls.

My favorite thing about being a girl is getting to do fun things like the WAG Conference!

What about being a girl or woman are you grateful for?

A 10-year-old girl in Illinois committed suicide this week after being bullied for several years.

Stories about teens taking their lives because of bullying are tragically common.  While thankfully most bullied young people don’t take their own lives, it doesn’t mean they don’t suffer enormously. Every time we talk to girls about the biggest challenges they’re facing, bullying is their number one response. We need to make sure girls know how to respond to bullying and the adult allies they turn to don’t just assume bullying is something “all kids go through.” This December, GENaustin is offering workshops for adults on bullying. We also have online resources & offer workshops for girls at schools and community organizations. No child should ever feel like she has no one to turn to, or like suicide is the only option she has to escape being bullied.

“I learned how to stand up to a bully without being a bully myself.”

GENaustin’s goal is to provide half of the attendees to our Conference with scholarships to attend We Are Girls free of charge. We know that the families of some of our girls are struggling economically, and that even $30 is too much of a burden for these families. But girls from these families are some of the girls who would benefit most from the sessions the Conference is providing. They need to attend, and for that, we need your help.

Here are some of the things girls applying for scholarships had to say about scholarships and why they want to attend:

I get bullied sometimes and sometimes I don’t want to come to school. It’s hard and I want to learn how to stand up for myself and help other people too.

I love being a girl! Being a girl is awesome. I want go to the Conference and meet other girls like me.

Right now my mom is going to school and money is really tight. Without a scholarship my family can’t afford to send me to the conference.

Sometimes girls worry too much about what other people say instead of what they know themselves.

We need to teach bullies that they can get in trouble for hurting other people. And we need to try and help bullies feel better about themselves.

Girls feel bad about how they look but they should be proud because we are all beautiful.

Will you help these girls? $30 covers everything at the Conference including a t-shirt & gift bag, lunch and a snack (in addition to the invaluable chance to bond with peers and choice to learn about whatever topics specifically apply to what’s going on in their lives). It’s going to be an amazing experience, and no girl should have to miss out. Scholarship a girl today!

Seminarios para los padres en Espanol

¿ Pero, Mama, si otras chicas lo hacen, porque yo no?!

Es común este argumento en su casa? En este panel escucharemos de mujeres que nos orientaran en entender mejor los dos mundos que viven nuestras hijas. Platicaremos sobre las diferencias en ser una jovencita aquí en los Estados Unidos comparado a nuestros países Latinos. ¡No se pierda este panel donde platicaremos sobre los desafíos que se enfrentan nuestras hijas a diario!

Panelistas:

Nacida en México D.F., y criada por padre Mexicano (originalmente de Cd. Victoria, Tamaulipas) y madre Americana (del estado de Pennsylvania), Karla Parra conoce bien los desafíos de balancear dos culturas, idiomas, y diferentes expectativas sociales. Karla creció por todas las costas de México, y se mudó a los Estados Unidos a los 18 años para estudiar la universidad en Nueva York. Después de trabajar en el mundo corporativo durante varios años, Karla se recibió este pasado julio con una Maestría en Administración Pública. Karla se mudó a Austin en agosto, buscando oportunidades para conectarse con sus raíces hispanas. Se encuentra presentemente trabajando para el centro de aprendizaje bilingüe Sí Se Puede.

La Dra. Beatriz Gutiérrez ha trabajado y estudiado en México y en Estados Unidos, países en donde tiene familia. Ha sido maestra de kínder hasta universidad y ha presentado sus investigaciones académicas en varios países. Actualmente trabaja para el Programa LUCHA de la Universidad de Texas en Austin, el cual ayuda a estudiantes inmigrantes a continuar sus estudios y graduarse de High School en Texas.

Maribel Tostado recibió su licenciatura en Sociología y Español de Texas State University en San Marcos, Texas y su maestría en Artes Liberales de la Universidad de San Eduardo en Austin, Texas. El título de su tesis fue “Un tributo a mujeres revolucionarias: Un estudio sobre la lucha y sobrevivencia entre las mujeres latinoamericanas. Ella trabaja como asesora académica en la Universidad de San Eduardo y en la facultad como maestra de problemas contemporáneos del mundo, con un enfoque en mujeres en Latinoamérica.

Luz Hinojosa ha estado trabajando para el Programa de Estudiantes Migrantes desde febrero del 2004 después de graduarse de la Universidad de San Eduardo bajo el Programa de Estudiantes Migrantes (CAMP). Ella tiene licenciaturas en inglés escrito y retórica y ciencias políticas y una Maestría en política pública de la Universidad de Texas en Austin de la escuela de Asuntos Públicos de LBJ. Como una estudiante migrante, la Srta. Hinojosa viajaba con sus padres a Shafter y Lamont, California, donde ella limpiaba algodón y pizcaba y empacaba uvas junto a sus padres, quienes emigraron a los Estados Unidos durante los años 60 y son originarios de Los Aldamas, Nuevo León, México.

El Sexo Puede Esperar… Pero Hablar con Su Hija Sobre Sexo No

Usted probablemente conoce las consecuencias negativas de que los jóvenes tengan relaciones sexuales, pero ¿y su hija? Como madre usted influye de gran manera el comportamiento de su hija. Acompáñenos en este taller para explorar como platicar con su hija sobre este tema tan delicado e importante.

Por: Michelle Segura Silva, LMFT, LPC, completo su licenciatura en la universidad Texas Tech y recibió su maestría en sicología de la Universidad de las Américas en la Ciudad de Mexico. Ella ha trabajado como consejera con niños, adolescentes, y familias por más de 10 anos. Sus ramas de especialidad incluyen trauma, relaciones, consejeria para familias y matrimonios, depresión, abuso domestico, entro otras áreas.

El auto estima de mi hija….es como una Montaña

Sabía usted que en ninguna otra etapa de la vida humana es más abundante y más rápido el crecimiento de su hija que durante su adolescencia. Acompáñenos ha esta platica acerca los cambios físicos y emocionales en su hija adolescente y como esto afecta su auto estima.

Por: Alma Mena, LCSW, completo su maestría en Trabajo Social en New York University en el 2000 y ha estado trabajando con niños, adolescentes y familias desde entonces. Alma ha sido trabajadora social con el distrito escolar de Austin por 7 anos. También ha trabajado en el Hospital Infantil de Austin y con Any Baby Can.

íPero el me Quiere, Mama!

¿Que es una relación saludable? Madres, cuales son las señales de que si hija no esta en una relación saludable? En este taller aprenderemos en como ayudar a nuestras hijas formar relaciones que sean lo mejor para ella y no iniciar una batalla que no le vemos fin.

Por: Leonor P. Vargas, LMSW, recibió su maestría en Trabajo Social de la University of Texas at Austin. Leonor tiene más de 15 años de experiencia profesional en servicios sociales en las escuelas trabajando con estudiantes y familias. Sus intereses profesionales incluyen diseñar cursos de capacitación para padres y programas y servicios de prevención. Actualmente es la directora del Centro de Recursos para Familias de la escuela Méndez del Proyecto Austin.

registrarse aquí!

Part of helping girls be successful in all facets of their lives is preparing them to be the leaders we know they can be. The fact is, while women make up over 50% of the population, they are severely underrepresented in leadership and business positions. For instance, of the 100 Senators currently serving in United States Senate, only 17 are women. Only 12 Fortune 500 companies are run by women. We can do better, and we must. GENaustin wants to assure today’s middle school girls will be tommorow’s women leaders by offering workshops at We Are Girls to encourage girls to dream big, set goals and take the steps to reach them.

American All S.T.A.R.S: Leaders in Class & Beyond, Sol2Soul (Session 1, 2)

A “star” is the ultimate mark of success in life. Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a successful student leader? This interactive workshop is a 5-step guide that will make you “shine” as an extraordinary leader at your school.

You’ve Been Asked, Annie’s List (Session 1, 2)

Women and Girls make up more than half of the population. We should be in charge. But we’re not, not even close. His workshop explores what YOU can do to lead in your school, community, and beyond!

Finding the Wise Voice Inside, Karly Randolph Pitman (Session 2)

In this workshop you’ll learn two practical tools to soften the “should”, beliefs, and criticisms that cloud your head, so you can honor your deepest dreams, goals and values. Instead of being ruled by other people’s expectations, you’ll unleash your most powerful guide- the wise voice inside.

Capitalizing on Your Strengths, BIG- Building Independent Girls (Session 2)

Understanding your character strengths is a key component to building self confidence, relating to others, and deciding your career. In this workshop you will become more sensitive to the key character strengths and how they work with one another.

Nothing is Impossible, THRIVE Consulting (Session 3)

Walk away from this workshop with your own step-by-step plan on how to do the things you’ve always wanted to do. Your life should be a fun and exciting journey—today you can get started making sure that it is!

Check out our financial and career workshops as well! Register today!

The We Are Girls Conference provides girls with the tools to succeed in the future. These financial & career workshops will prepare girls to take the practical steps necessary to achieve their dreams.

Fun Financial Facts, Koreena Malone (Session 1, 2, 3)

Fun Financial Facts is a program designed to help young girls understand free enterprise concepts. The goal of the program is to introduce a basic understanding of how our financial system works. This will empower young girls by looking at our financial system as a tool to help build their knowledge base and feel confident about their credit history, the stock markets, and other important financial facts.

Blast the Money Trap, The Money Academy (Session 1)

We all wish we could be great with money, always having enough, knowing how to make it last.  Learn the secrets to how money works, and how to make it work for you.  Play this great learning game and share in a lively conversation about what you learned.  Prepare for a life of financial success!

Girls Who Mean Business, Fran Harris (Session 1, 2)

A high flying workshop for girls interested in starting their own business.

Chica TV, Latinitas (Session 2)

Girls will learn how to express their voice by producing a television talk show about important girl issues.

Launching a Business Online, Fran Harris (Session 3)

How to use the internet to launch a business, blog or raise money for your charity

Identifying and Managing Your Career, BIG- Building Independent Girls (Session 3)

The key to life is happiness. So, it is important to build our career path around what makes us happy. Find out how you can balance the four key components that will make you happy.

The Inside Scoop About College, GENaustin (Session 3)

Come get real information about life in college!

Hands on Banking, Wells Fargo (Session 3)

Fun, interactive program that helps you understand financial basics and smart money management.

Register today!

Girls face all kinds of conflicts as they grow into young adults, not just with bullies but with parents, teachers, and their friends. These workshops help girls better communicate with their parents, make healthy choices about dating & friendship, and teach positive responses to bullying, among other life skills. Going through these workshops will give girls the tools they need to deal with the challenges they’re facing.

Help! My Parents Are Trying to Control Me/Help! My Kid is Rebelling Part 1, From the Heart Family Healing (Session 1,2)

Bringing peace and healing to power struggles and family conflict.

 How to Be Your Own Best Friend, Karly Randolph Pitman (Session 1)

One of the most painful feelings we can experience is feeling like we’re worthless, not enough, flawed, or not okay. In this workshop, we’ll explore how we can tell a different story—one where we feel deeply loved, accepted, and cared for.

 Steps to Respect, Lifeworks: Next Steps (Session 1)

Come and learn how to stand up for yourself and others, and avoid bullying

 Talking to Your Parents About…, Dr. Karen Rayne (Session 1, 2)

Lots of kids wish they could talk to their parents about sex, sexual orientation, dating, and more- come learn how to get those conversations started!

 Friendship Counts, GENaustin (Session 1)

Let’s talk about building better friendships with other girls!

 Abuse vs. Respect, GENaustin (Session 1, 2)

How can you know if a relationship is healthy or unhealthy? Come learn the difference.

 Exploring Gender Issues to Prevent Bullying & Sexual Harrassment, SafePlace (Session 1)

The good, the bad & the ugly side of being a middle-school girl.

 Building A Community, Lantern Creek (Session 1)

Camp Lantern Creek is a residential girl’s camp dedicated to empowering girls to be strong, creative leaders. Discrimination and exclusion are prevalent issues girls deal with on a daily basis. Our workshop, Build a Community, Build Yourself provides girls with an opportunity to explore these issues through an interactive group activity. Girls will discuss how cultivating empathy and creating positive self-images can help change girl problems into girl opportunities. Join our workshop and get a taste of Camp Lantern Creek! 

Girl Talk, GENaustin (Session 1)

Do you ever find yourself in an argument with a friend? Come to this workshop and learn some ways to respect your friend’s opinions while being able to stick up for yourself!

 Kiss & Tell: Girls Speak Out on Sexual Boundaries, Girl Pride (Session 1, 2)

Girls get messages from all directions about dating, sex, and what’s appropriate for girls. In this workshop, you’ll be asked to share what YOU think for once, and gain confidence in speaking up for yourself.

Dating Abuse 101, Love Is Respect (Session 2)

Just started dating & something doesn’t feel right?  Learn about the difference between a healthy relationship and an abusive one.  Come find out how to spot those “red flags” everyone has been mentioning and learn ways to have a healthy, fun, loving and respectful relationship!

The workshop will describe what the dynamics of an abusive relationship look like and how to recognize abusive behavior in the early stages of a relationships.

Participants will learn to recognize what is healthy vs. unhealthy and how to create an effective safety plan that is necessary for physical and emotional safety in the event someone has to stay in or leave an abusive relationship.

BEWARE: No Haters Allowed!, Girls & Women in Entertainment (Session 2)

Haters can not be tolerated in your life if you are going to achieve your goals and fulfill your dreams. Recognize the #1 hater to avoid and how to attract positive people in your life that will celebrate you.

Friendship Fires, GirlPower (Session 2)

This session will explain the difference between healthy versus unhealthy friendships and teach strategies for putting out those common “Friendship Fires”.  We will also discuss the many subtle, relational ways girls can be mean to one another, both in person and virtually (text, Facebook, chat, email, etc.) and when it’s considered bullying.  Girls will be taught the importance of standing up for themselves, when and how to do it, and when it’s time to get some help.  Girls will learn two different approaches, standing up to friends and standing up to bullies.

 The Language of Friendship – a Mother-Daughter Workshop, GirlPower (Session 3)

 Bring your “Tween” daughter to this special GirlPower Mother-Daughter Workshop The Language of Friendship, and strengthen that unique connection you already have. Through a variety of fun, interactive activities you will learn how to better understand your daughter’s emotions and offer her advice and support while she navigates the unpredictable world of female friendships. You will learn strategies to help her put out “Friendship Fires”, how to empower her to stand up for herself, the best ways to support her through unhealthy friendships, and how to help her gain confidence and love her true self. GirlPower teaches girls a new “language” that they can connect with, giving them a voice to articulate their experiences and get the help they need to foster healthy friendships.

 How Do I Become An Empowered Ally?, Loveisrespect, National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline (Session 3)

It is very hard to watch someone you love go through an abusive relationship.  It is even harder to make them leave, much less make the abuse stop.  Find out what interventions are the most helpful when trying to help a friend or family member that is in an abusive relationship.

The workshop will begin with a brief explanation of abusive relationships and why it is so hard for so many victims to leave these relationships. Since dating abuse affects so many people it is important that parents and friends know how to help their loved ones be safe. The presentation will address the common myths and stereotypes about victims, abusers, and abusive relationships.  We will discuss why their loved one won’t leave an abusive relationship or why they choose to stay, go back, or give their partner multiple chances.  We will talk about possible pitfalls of telling them what to do or intervening in some way and then discuss helpful tactics to help their loved one.

Communication with Adults, GENaustin (Session 3)

When you’re having a disagreement with your parents or teachers, do you just want to scream? Or run and hide? Come to this workshop and learn how to respectfully share your feelings with parents and teachers.

Register today for the conference at www.wearegirls.org!

Health and wellness is an important part of being a happy, well-rounded adolescent. Girls today are involved in a million different clubs and activities, and sometimes they need help figuring out ways to de-stress, take time to relax, and take care of the physical health of their bodies. These workshops teach girls simple, easy ways to make their lives healthier and less stressful.

IGnite Your Life: Simplify Health: Basic Exercises, Yoga Poses and Nutrition Tips (Session 1)

Providing simple and basic information that will allow teens to have a fun and healthy teenage experience.

Ballet Austin: What Moves You? (Session 1, 2, 3)

What moves you? The idea is, that if you find an activity that keeps you moving that you enjoy, you will keep doing it! So the question is, “What do you enjoy? What moves you?” Pick an activity that’s easy to fit into your life, that’s fun, and learn how to be active your way. Shape your future, now! Discover your unique passions, how your passions set you in motion, and discover how to feel better about the unique you! Participants will discover how staying active affects all areas of their life, including body image, self-esteem, and overall health.

Participants: 

Will identify their passions and how they relate to staying active.

Will understand how to build physical activity into their day in ways they will love and continue to pursue.

Will be given tools to help them develop personal responsibility for a healthy lifestyle and lifelong wellness.

What Moves You is about developing a healthy lifestyle. Girls learn that physical activity is fun, can improve body image and self-respect, and will boost confidence. The session will include talk-back time as well and dance opportunity. With the use of relevant music and fun dance, girls will discover how much fun it can be to be active every day in a variety of ways. The goal is three-fold: To discover WHAT moves you? (What is it they love to do) What MOVES you? (Passions will naturally promote action) and What moves YOU? (The uniqueness of each girl and their interests and abilities being used to positively influence their lives.)

Adrien Paczosa RD, LD of iLiveWell Nutrition Therapy: Fuel For Success (Session 1,2)

Food is the fuel that powers you through the day. We want to fuel our bodies with the proper and most optimal fuel to achieve our goals. During our session we will learn the top priorities to energize your body!

Yoga RX: Yoga For A Better Body Image (Session 1)

Did you know that Yoga can bring your awareness internally to create a healthier body image for you?  When we only compare external qualities our view becomes insufficient.  Let’s create more self confidence & a better body image by changing the way we view ourselves through Yoga!

Deirdre Earls: Your Healing Diet (Session 1)

Recent headlines have illustrated how even the world’s best young athletes are being sidelined by debilitating health problems. Simultaneously, there’s been an explosion in research on connections between dietary choices and health. Having used an imperfect diet instead of chemotherapy to reverse her own disabling disease, Deirdre’s class will give you a practical understanding of how to experience the healing power of food within your own busy life. Learn how food can create and reverse disease, common threads of success across many healing diets, and which foods optimize health and longterm performance.

Travis County’s Underage Drinking Prevention Program: Why Risk it? (Session 1)

Anti-DWI/Alcohol Awareness Program targeting teens and their decisions about alcohol

Sarah Sullivan: Beginners Yoga Groove (Session 2)

Yoga for the changing mind, body and spirit. Learn a simple routine to do every morning/evening to make you happy, healthy and whole.

Girls, Inc: Mind & Body (Session 3)

Mind and Body is an initiative which helps give girls the knowledge, skills and attitude required to form and maintain a healthy, positive sense of self. It focuses on four areas: physical activity, nutrition, body image, and stress.

The Conference is just days away, and tickets are going fast. Register today to attend!

GENaustin knows that being the parent of a daughter can be hard. That’s why, in addition to our workshops for girls and our parent-daughter workshops, the We Are Girls Conference will have workshops JUST for parents, to help them learn how to better communicate with and guide their daughters through the challenges of adolescence. Read about the sessions below and then register to attend if you haven’t already!

Barb Steinberg: Teens, Sex & Truth (Session 1)
Although it may be hard to believe, research shows that girls want to talk about sex and relationships with their parents. Knowing this fact, however, doesn’t necessarily make it any easier to talk about these subjects. If you have put off “the talk” or are concerned about your daughter’s relationship, come to this workshop, led by Barb Steinberg, LMSW. You’ll leave with a better understanding of how her changing body impacts her decisions around sex and dating. You’ll get the latest statistics on teen sexual behavior and gain confidence on how to be the best front-line sex educator for your daughter and speak the language that resonates with her that will keep her coming to you for answers.

Ballet Austin: Someone’s Watching You (Session 1,2,3)

The choices you make to live a healthy lifestyle have a huge impact on your daughters health and well-being. You only get one body per lifetime. Do you give it the respect it deserves? Do your girls know it?

Head Way Consulting, LLC: How to Assist Your Child in Improving Their Executive Functioning Abilities (Session 1, 3)

Does your child have trouble remembering what was learned only yesterday? Would you like to assist your child in feeling more organized and become a better decision-maker? This presentation on improving your child’s executive function may be what you’re looking for.

Regain Your Time: Your Child’s Brain on Social Media: What You Need to Know (Session 1, 2, 3)

This presentation offers a common-sense explanation of social media to parents. It focuses on:
• the challenges of fractured attention which the lure of social media only makes worse,
• the explosion of attention disorders and how prevent a worsening of the symptoms in your child
• how to help your kids understand when they are not controlling their own attention, and the consequences of that, and
• the importance and power of focus.

A Discussion about Fathering Daughters (Session 1)

Come to a Dads-only discussion about the challenges and joys of parenting a teen or tween daughter.

Barb Steinberg: Empowering Your Daughter (session 2)

Girls today feel pressure to be “perfect” (straight A’s, a super athlete and supermodel beautiful). Their heads are spinning with images of girls/women and the mixed messages they receive about their strengths and what they can become. These pressures are damaging. An empowered girl is protected from these pressures for a lifetime. Attend this workshop, led by Barb Steinberg, LMSW, to better understand how different it is to grow up as a teen girl today and what we can do as parents to empower our girls, improve their self-image and assist them in making choices that lead them to happiness and confidence.

The Talking Room: Emily Roberts & Jane Flynn: What Your Daughter is Really Doing Behind the Screen & Behind Closed Doors (Session 2, 3)

Emily and Jane, the liasons between children and their parents, will share what girls tell them about what you need to know. Parents will learn about trends and how to spot technology use and abuse; experimentation with substance abuse and the truth about sexual behavior.

Sun Dragon Martial Arts and Self-Defense: How to Talk to Your Daughter about Violence (Without Scaring Her) (Session 2)

Have you ever wondered how to keep your daughters safe? This session will explore the risks that girls face, and strategies to help them handle these risks.

JC Community Consulting: She Calls Me Daddy (Session 2)

There’s no challenge for a man quite like being the father of a girl. This workshop will help dads learn about the important issues that dads with daughters need to understand.

GENaustin: Help My Daughters Being Bullied (Session 3)

Is your daughter experiencing bullying? In this workshop, parents will learn effective ways to support girls and empower them to overcome bullying.

Planned Parenthood: Talk First!  (Session 3)

Learn successful and effective tips on how to talk to your child about sexuality and become an “askable” parent. Find out how to identify teachable moments to share your values and beliefs. Know what to look for and when to speak up from childhood through the teen years.

Talking to the happy, enthusiastic girls at ClubGEN, it nevertheless becomes clear there are common issues the girls all face every day. When asked whether bullying is a problem, girls at every club I spoke to all answered emphatically as a group that it is. Some girls are being bullied, and all the girls have seen bullying happen. Negative self-talk, conflicts with friends, stress about school … girls are dealing with all of it, every day. And We Are Girls exists to help girls learn to navigate these challenges in the most positive way possible. GENaustin provides every girl at ClubGEN a scholarship to attend We Are Girls free of charge (and because we believe the Conference is so important, scholarships are also available for any girls or parents who otherwise couldn’t afford the $30 ticket).

Here’s what some ClubGEN girls had to say about what they thought was most important for girls like themselves to learn more about at the Conference:

 Lily

“A lot of girls are judgmental about their bodies & feel bad about them. The Conference would help girls to see they should respect each other and not say mean things that could hurt someone’s feelings or make them feel bad about how they look. It’s also important for girls to see they’re not alone & there are lots of other girls just like them.”

 Brianka

“The We Are Girls Conference teaches things that are really important to people my age. Sometimes even people who are your friends are mean to you, and it’s hard.  Learning about healthy friendships would help girls like my friends be nicer to each other.”

Robin

“Bullying is a big problem. Learning how to deal with bullies is important for girls, because we deal with bullying all the time. We need to learn how to support each other & not just stand by while other people are bullied, too.”

Solana

“Girls need to see that the way people look in magazines is not real life. They need to stop putting so much pressure on themselves to look a certain way. There’s photoshop and all this stuff & it will be good for other girls to see we are beautiful the way we are.”

 If you’d like to help make sure girls like Lily, Brianka, Robin & Solana can attend We Are Girls, please click here to donate. If you have a daughter who hasn’t already registered, do so now.  And if you have any questions about how to register or apply for a scholarship, email maria@genaustin.org. GENaustin wants to make sure every girl & parent has the opportunity to attend this amazing event!

Despite the name, the We Are Girls Conference isn’t just for girls! The Conference is for anyone with girls in their lives, who wants to know more about what they are experiencing and find ways to help guide them. Which means, of course,  Dads are welcome at We Are Girls, too! Fathers play an incredibly important role in helping their daughters navigate adolescence, but they might not always feel they know what to say, or how to handle the things their daughters are going through. That’s why in addition to the sessions for all adults, We Are Girls is offering a special track of sessions just for fathers, by fathers. 

 Have you heard Tom Meredith speak? He’s inspiring! And this time he has interviewed his grown daughters about their experience with him as a dad and in this session he’ll be reporting his surprising findings. This interactive workshop is open to dads, moms and girls!

 Thomas J. Meredith is a Founder and Managing Member of Meritage Capital, L.P.  Prior to establishing Meritage Capital, L.P., he served in various positions at Dell Inc. (“Dell”) including Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategy, and Managing Director of Dell Ventures.  Mr. Meredith was instrumental in refining and extending Dell’s highly successful direct business model. 

Other Dad’s Track Sessions:

Session 1 – Dad’s Panel: A session for dads lead by three panelists who are not experts giving “right answers” but are qualified men who have thought critically about the issues of fathering daughters. The participants will all submit anonymous question to start an open dialogue. The goal is to create a safe space for dads to ask questions they might not ask if women were around and start a discussion to include everyone.

Session 2 – She Calls Me Daddy:  There’s no challenge for a man quite like being the father of a girl. Boys often love to be tousled and teased by their dads. Girls love to be cherished. Boys can be “spoken to” with single words, half sentences, and grunts. Girls want their dads to talk to them in complete sentences. Boys long to live without their dad’s protection. Most girls thrive with confidence when they know their dad will be there. This workshop will help dads learn about the important issues that dads with daughters need to understand.

Are you a dad who wants to attend the Conference? Register here!