Homayoun - The myth of the perfect girl: helping our daughters find authentic success and happiness in school and life

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR

The Myth of the Perfect Girl

An essential bookThe Myth of the Perfect Girl challenges both girls and the adults who care about them to deeply reflect on the most important issues girls will face as they reach their full potential.

Rosalind Wiseman, author of Queen Bees and Wannabes

As our society grapples with who we want and need females and males to grow up to be, it is no surprise that our girls and boys are confused about what is expected of them. The Myth of the Perfect Girl dives deep into how this is unnerving our girls. A must-read for all parents, educators, psychologists, and girls themselves.

Dr. Louann Brizendine, founder/director of UCSF Womens Mood and Hormone Clinic and author of The Female Brain and The Male Brain

A smart, funny, and engaging study on how to give girls the tools to figure out what they really wantand how to get it. A must-read for girls, mothers, educators, and anybody who wants to understand half the population.

Susan Shapiro, author of Unhooked:
How to Quit Anything and Only as Good as Your Word

Many seemingly disconnected forces in society are placing unfair burdens on girls growing up today, as well as on their parents. Gratefully, Ana Homayoun poignantly spells out whats going on, how its affecting our girls, and how grownups can help them negotiate the minefields. Everyone who cares about the well-being of girls should read The Myth of the Perfect Girl.

Diane E. Levin, PhD, professor of education at
Wheelock College and coauthor of So Sexy So Soon

Whether youre the parent of an adolescent girl or a savvy young woman yourself, the insights in this book could just change your outlookand make the turbulent teen years a little less of a pressure cooker. Ana Homayoun is the counselor, expert, and friend every parentand girlneeds.

Michele Borba, EdD, author of The Big Book of Parenting Solutions

Offering fresh insights and vivid examples, Ana Homayoun makes sense of the enormous pressures facing girls today. More important, she shows what parents and educators can do to help girls navigate these turbulent years with confidence and purpose. A great addition to the field.

Michael Gurian, author of The Wonder of Girls

PRAISE FOR

That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week

Ana Homayoun gets it! Combining an extraordinary feel for what boys face in schools these days with an enormously shrewd, practical sets of tips on how to get organized and excel, this book hits a homerun. All parents and teachers as well as students (yes, I think girls could find it useful, too!) will find that this book makes school less of a struggle and more of a pleasure. Brief, to the point, and clear, this book is an invaluable, unique tool.

Edward Hallowell, MD, author of Super Parenting for ADD and Driven to Distraction

Filled with practical advice for the parents of disorganized boys (and thats an awful lot of young boys), Ana Homayouns That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week teaches us how to help our sons navigate through a school environment that is less than kind to distracted and disorganized young men.

Madeline Levine, PhD, author of The Price of Privilege

THE MYTH OF THE

Perfect Girl

Helping Our Daughters Find
Authentic Success and Happiness
in School and Life

Ana Homayoun

A PERIGEE BOOK

A PERIGEE BOOK

Published by the Penguin Group

Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

While the author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers, Internet addresses,
and other contact information at the time of publication, neither the publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors, or for changes that occur after publication. Further, the publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

Copyright 2012 by Ana Homayoun

Text design by Kristin del Rosario

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or
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First edition: January 2013

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Homayoun, Ana.
The myth of the perfect girl : helping our daughters find authentic success and happiness in school and life / Ana Homayoun.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
eBook ISBN: 978-1-101-61900-1
1. Daughters. 2. Girls. 3. Parenting. 4. ParentingReligious aspects. I. Title.
HQ777.H6646 2013
306.874dc23 2012036341

This book describes the real experiences of real people. The author has disguised the identities of
some, and in some instances created composite characters, but none of these changes has affected
the truthfulness and accuracy of her story. Penguin is committed to publishing works of
quality and integrity. In that spirit, we are proud to offer this book to our readers;
however, the story, the experiences, and the words are the authors alone.

Most Perigee books are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchases for
sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. Special books, or book
excerpts, can also be created to fit specific needs. For details, write: Special Markets,
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

To M. Miller,
with gratitude for your grace, wisdom,
and humor as both a mentor and a friend.

To all the girls who see themselves within the pages of this book, I wish you a lifetime filled with personal happiness, authenticity, and contentment.