FREE! Daughters Community Forum
Share your concerns and advice about the challenges of raising a daughter with other parents and experts. The topics range from cliques to body issues to dating.

Individual articles to download for $2.49 each

September/October 2007

Breakfast power: Selling her on a great start by Carol Beck
It isn’t unusual for girls to resist eating breakfast—as many as 20 percent of elementary-school-age girls regularly skip breakfast, as do a third of high school girls. Most adults have learned that a low-body-fuel morning has consequences all day long, but girls tend to disregard this, especially if they don’t feel hungry immediately after waking or they skip breakfast to try to lose weight. Check out these tips from a nutritionist mom on how to give girls a nutritious sendoff that’ll keep her physically and emotionally well-fueled throughout the day.

March/April 2007

Keeping a veggie girl healthy by Helen Cordes
For many parents, hearing a daughter declare her intent to go vegetarian or vegan—especially if she’s young and still growing—raises worries. Will she get enough protein? Is she going veggie or vegan just because her friends are? If your girl joins the growing ranks of girl vegetarians, you’ll find tips and resources on how to integrate her eating preferences into the household and keep her in top health as well.

September/October 2006

Interview: Dianne Neumark-Sztainer on “fat talk” amid obesity
Whether it’s getting a dieting girl to eat enough or persuading an overeating daughter to ease back, the challenge of guiding a girl toward simply eating and exercising in a healthy way is harder than ever. We can help girls—and ourselves—live by a simple set of healthy guidelines that will do them right for life, says Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, author of “I’m, Like, So Fat!”: Helping Your Teen Make Healthy Choices about Eating and Exercise in a Weight-Obsessed World (Guilford, 2005).

July/August 2006

Fun Food Makeovers: Getting Her to Eat Right by Amy Jussel
If your girl’s a junk-food junkie, don’t despair. With a few creative food transformations, you can get her eating healthy foods and creating lifetime healthy habits. And use amusing taste-testing sessions to educate girls about food marketing fallacies, advises this food educator and advertising insider.

January/February 2006

Is she suffering from sleep deprivation?
If your daughter is chronically cranky, unfocused, and depressed, take a look at her sleep schedule. Studies show that kids as young as elementary school are sacrificing sleep to busy schedules, and suffering both physical and emotional problems as a result. Get tips on getting her the sleep she really needs.

November/December 2005

Mom, Am I OK? When Her Concerns Become Obsessions
It's not surprising that many girls obsess about possible health problems around the tween and teen years—after all, their bodies are changing rapidly and uncontrollably. This mom learned how to calm fears and keep her confident about her health.

July/August 2005

Answering ALL Her Body Questions
Does your daughter feel she can ask you anything about her body? When girls can get full answers and good guidance from parents, they’ll be equipped to feel better about their bodies and puberty, as well as make healthy choices on issues such as sexual activity.

July/August 2004

Why Yoga is Good for Girls
Yoga is enjoying great popularity these days among adults, and increasingly catching on with kids. Learn about the physical and psychological benefits girls can derive from this ancient practice.

November/December 2003

If Your Girl Wants to Become a Vegetarian
Lots more teen girls are interesting in vegetarianism. If yours is one of those, here's how to help her do it right.

July/August 2002

Cutting: One Family’s Story
A mother writes about her daughter’s depression and self-mutilation. Never did I imagine that the hand that would harm her skin, would be her own.

One Girl’s Cutting Odyssey
Juniper Jade is the pen name of a high school student living in the Midwest . She wrote this piece for a creative nonfiction writing class.

March/April 2002 

Soda Pop Junkies
The average teen girl guzzles 21 ounces of soda pop a day and less than 14 ounces of milk. What does all this caffeine and sugar do to their growing bodies?

January/February 2002

Adolescent Girls and Scoliosis
Eleven year old Kristen has scoliosis. Read about how she deals with scoliosis and some of the warning signs of this potentially debilitating condition.