When your daughter goes to school, there could be some children who aren’t as nice as others. This doesn’t mean that your daughter needs to sit back and do nothing about mean things that might be said or done. There are a few ways that you can help your daughter overcome these issues in a safe and healthy manner.
Love Her
One of the easiest and possibly best things that you can do for your daughter is to show her that she is loved and that she is accepted by those around her who matter the most. Girls who are mean often try to convince others that no one cares about them or that there is something wrong with them, which can sometimes begin to infiltrate the mind of your daughter if she doesn’t know that she’s loved by her family.
Sharing Interests
Find out what your daughter enjoys, and try to reach out to someone older who can help develop those talents or who shares the same interests. Your daughter might not like hanging out with her mother all the time but could find that spending an afternoon with another adult is fun. Show your daughter that there are people who care and that being in school with mean girls won’t last forever.
Fitting In
Even though you might want your daughter to feel included, you probably don’t want her to include herself in a group with girls who are mean. Your daughter needs to understand that she can be her own person and that if no one else likes her for who she is, then they are the ones who will lose out on a friend. Remind your daughter that everyone has different skills and interests and that she should be who she is no matter the situation.
Personal Experiences
Try to share some of the experiences that you had in school. If you encountered mean girls, then let your daughter know that each school likely has them and that there are ways to handle the situation, such as approaching another adult or ignoring the group. Share with your daughter that there are bigger and brighter things ahead for her after school and that the mean girls she’s dealing with won’t last forever.
Seeking Help
If the situation begins to get serious, then you might want to talk to someone at the school about what can be done. If the girls have made threats or have even caused some kind of injury, then consider approaching your local police department as well.
