Erika V. Shearin Karres - The Everything Parents Guide To Raising Girls: A Complete Handbook to Develop Confidence, Promote Self-Esteem and Improve Communication

THE EVERYTHING PARENT'S GUIDE TO RAISING GIRLS

A complete handbook to develop confidence, promote self-esteem, and improve communication

Erika V. Shearin Karres, Ed.D.

Technical Review by Rebecca Rutledge, Ph.D.

Copyright 2007, F+W Publications, Inc.

All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

An Everything Series Book. Everything and everything.com are registered trademarks of F+W Publications, Inc.

Published by Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company 57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A. www.adamsmedia.com

ISBN 10: 1-59869-247-X

ISBN 13: 978-1-59869-247-1 (paperback)

ISBN 13: 978-1-60550-272-4 (EPUB)

Printed in Canada.

J I H G F E D C B A

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Karres, Erika V. Shearin.

The everything parent's guide to raising girls / by Erika V.

Shearin Karres, with technical review by Rebecca Rutledge.

p. cm. (An everything series book)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN-13: 978-1-59869-247-1 (pbk.)

ISBN 13: 978-1-60550-272-4 (EPUB)

ISBN-10: 1-59869-247-X (pbk.)

1. Girls. 2. Parenting. 3. Parent and child. I. Title. II. Title: Parent's guide to raising girls.

HQ777.K37 2007

649.133 dc22

2007001125

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

From a Declaration of Principlesjointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.

This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases. For information, please call 1-800-289-0963.

All the examples and dialogues used in this book are fictional, and have been created by the author to illustrate situations.

THE PARENT'S GUIDES TO RAISING GIRLS

Dear Reader,

Many years ago, I came to this country as a young military wife with little money and pregnant. When my first baby came a daughter she gave me a crash course in life. Through her and her sister I experienced life in abundance. Raising any child is wonderful but raising a daughter is special. In my case the impact was even greater since I had lost my mother at six and missed the important mother-daughter bond.

My daughters inspired me. I took classes, studied parenting, and devoted my whole life to it. For decades I taught school and worked with kids and their parents. I wrote newspaper columns and books on parenting, even a series just for girls. That's why I'm writing this book: to help guide you in raising your own girl with ease, skill, and confidence in today's challenging world.

My relationship with my daughters surpasses every other achievement I have made. Raising a daughter is the ultimate adventure. You are so lucky to be the parent of a girl, and she is lucky to have someone raising her who wants the best for her.

With love to both of you,

Sincerely,

To my mother, Barbara Schmelzer Vierling, who died when I was six. Now she lives again in these pages.

Welcome to THE PARENT'S GUIDES

As a parent, you're swamped with conflicting advice and parenting techniques that tell you what is best for your child. THE EVERYTHING PARENT'S GUIDES get right to the point about specific issues. They give you the most recent, up-to-date information on parenting trends, behavior issues, and health concerns providing you with a detailed resource to help you ease your parenting anxieties.

THE EVERYTHING PARENT'S GUIDES are an extension of the bestselling Everything series in the parenting category. These family-friendly books are designed to be a one-stop guide for parents. If you want authoritative information on specific topics not fully covered in other books, THE EVERYTHING PARENT'S GUIDES are the perfect resource to ensure that you raise a healthy, confident child.

Visit the entire Everything series at www.everything.com

girl (gurl) n.

. A female child with an unlimited potential for giving, creating, and achieving. When mixed well with love, patience, and inspiration, she will turn into a strong, independent, and successful young woman with character, courage, and confidence. In short, a blessing to her family and community and a lifelong joy for her parents.

Acknowledgments

The Everything Parent's Guide to Raising Girls is based on my thirty-five years of work, research, and the experiences of more than five thousand parents I have worked with. It builds on the premise that parenting is a science that can be studied, a skill that can be acquired, and an art that can be honed.

I want to thank my two daughters, Elizabeth Shearin Hounshell, R.N, and Dr. Mary D. Shearin, for their help, devotion, and love. Without them, this book would not exist. It is one thing to study parenting in the abstract, and another to put one's theories to the test. My wonderful daughters prove beyond a doubt that the thoughtful parenting of a daughter is a joy with happy consequences over and over. Thank you so much, Elizabeth and Deesie. You are more than terrific friends. You are what is best in me reconfigured into the latest and shiniest models. I also want to thank my husband, Andy, for his great love and support.