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BIO Girls has been a resource for adolescent girls for over a decade. We are dedicated to our mission of improving the self-esteem in girls, and our program is proven to do just that. Our program is one resource. However, we know there is room for more. Below we have compiled even more resources for parents to use right at home. Connect with your kiddos and support their mental health & well-being.

At-Home Lessons

Background information and research paired with lessons & activities on topics: self-compassion, relational aggression, growth mindset, gratitude, and body image for both youth and teens.

01.
Self-Compassion

Being Kind to Your Mind

Youth Lesson

Self-compassion has many benefits. Negative emotions, anxiety, stress, reactive anger, and feelings of worthlessness can all be reduced by engaging in self-compassion. Self-compassion is also associated with greater happiness, more social connections, more caring relationship behavior, improved body image, and higher overall satisfaction in life. Drop your email below for this Mini-Lesson & Activities Resource:

I Will Be Kind….to Myself

Teen Lesson

Self-compassion means being kind to yourself when you are having a difficult time, fail, or notice something you don’t like about yourself. During these times, you need to determine how you can comfort and take care of yourself. According to Dr. Kristin Neff, self-compassion involves three parts: being gentle and understanding toward yourself, framing imperfection in terms of the shared human experience, and observing your thoughts and emotions clearly without ignoring or exaggerating them. Drop your email below for this Mini-Lesson & Activities Resource:

02.
Relational Aggression

Buddies Not Bullies

Youth Lesson

Relational aggression is behavior that is intended to harm someone by damaging their relationships and social standing. Examples include: gossip (information about the personal lives and behaviors of others), rumors (information that is passed from one person to another and is likely untrue), exclusion (not including someone), and taunting (routinely making fun of someone). Relational aggression is bullying. Drop your email below for this Mini-Lesson & Activities Resource:

I Will NOT Be A Mean Girl 

Teen Lesson

Relational aggression is more common in girls than in boys; hence the term “mean girls”. Relational aggression refers to behavior that is intended to harm someone by damaging their relationships and social standing with others. It is the equivalent of emotional bullying and often goes unnoticed by adults. Drop your email below for this Mini-Lesson & Activities Resource:

03.
Growth Mindset

Failure Is An Opportunity to Grow

Youth Lesson

Having a “growth mindset” means that an individual believes that their talents can be developed and learned through practice, effort, and perseverance. These individuals tend to put a lot of energy into learning and view progress as success. They are not afraid of failure; failure is an opportunity to grow. Drop your email below for this Mini-Lesson & Activities Resource:

I Am Not Afraid Of Failure

Teen Lesson

Failure teaches confidence, coping skills, emotional resilience, creative thinking, and the ability to collaborate. Individuals who are not afraid to fail tend to have higher self-esteem, are better problem-solvers, enjoy trying new things, are proud of themselves, and know that they are not defined by their mistakes but can learn from them. Drop your email below for this Mini-Lesson & Activities Resource:

04.
Gratitude

Develop an Attitude of Gratitude

Youth Lesson

Gratitude is pausing to notice and appreciate the things you often take for granted, no matter how big or small, and to realize how fortunate you are. Not only does gratitude feel good, but it can also be good for you. Gratitude is associated with many physical and mental health benefits, including better sleep, decreased stress, less depression and anxiety, higher self-esteem, improved decision-making, increased empathy, and better relationships. Drop your email below for this Mini-Lesson & Activities Resource:

I Have Much to be Thankful For

Teen Lesson

Gratitude is also an awareness that these sources of goodness come from outside of yourself. The goodness didn’t necessarily come from anything you did, though your positive attributes likely played some role and should also be appreciated.Teens who practice gratitude tend to use social media for more meaningful conversation and connection without increasing overall use. Drop your email below for this Mini-Lesson & Activities Resource:

05.
Body Image

Every Body Is Beautiful

Youth Lesson

Having a positive body image, or body esteem, is linked with overall high self-esteem, mental health, positive relationships with others, and healthy attitudes towards eating. It also allows you to more easily resist pressures to look a certain way. Drop your email below for this Mini-Lesson & Activities Resource:

I Will Accept My Body

Teen Lesson

Teen girls are exposed to intense societal messaging about ideal body shape, size, and appearance. Teen girls tend to internalize messages about body and appearance ideals as well as frequently engage in social comparison. Such thoughts and behaviors naturally affect how teens feels about themselves. Research has found that, as teen girls age, their confidence drastically decreases as their desire to change their appearance drastically increases. Drop your email below for this Mini-Lesson & Activities Resource:

Book Nook

12 Books We Recommend For Parents:

1. Borba, M. (2017). UnSelfie: Why empathetic kids succeed in our all-about-me world.

2. Chapman, G. & Campbell, R. (2016). The 5 love languages of children: The secret to loving children effectively.

3. Darpinian, S., Sterling, W., & Aggarwal, S. (2022). Raising body positive teens: A parent’s guide to diet-free living, exercise, and body image.

4. Duckworth, A. (2018). Grit: the power of passion and perseverance.

5. Dweck, C. (2017). Mindset: changing the way you think to fulfill your potential.

6. Faber, A. & Mazlish, E. (2012). How to talk so kids will listen and listen so kids will talk.

7. Lahey, J. (2016). The gift of failure: How the best parents learn to let go so their children can succeed.

8. McKay, D.F. (2018). Girl on Purpose: How to Help Your Girl Build Self-Confidence and Do All That She’s Meant for in the World.

9. Neff, K. (2015). Self-compassion: The proven power of being kind to yourself.

10. Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2005). “I’m, like, SO fat!”: Helping your teen make healthy choices about eating and exercise in a weight-obsessed world.

11. Seligman, M. (2007). The optimistic child: A proven program to safeguard children against depression and build lifelong resilience.

12. Simmons, R. (2019). Enough As She Is: How to Help Girls Move Beyond Impossible Standards of Success to Live Healthy, Happy, and Fulfilling Lives.

4 Books We Recommend For Girls:

1. Kay, K. & Shipman, C. (2018). The Confidence Code for Girls: Taking Risks, Messing Up, and Becoming your Amazingly Imperfect, Totally Powerful Self. 

   • This is a book for girls ages 9-12.   

2. Kimmey, A. (2021). Empowered Girls: Activities and Affirmations for Empowering Strong, Confident Girls.

   • This is a book for girls ages 6-9.

3. Skeen, M. (2018). Just As You Are: A Teen’s Guide to Self-Acceptance and Lasting Self-Esteem.

   • This is a book for teenagers, ages 12+.

4. The Big Life Journal is a guided journal with prompts and is chalked full of independent activities. 

   • There are separate editions for children and teens

On The Pod

Tune into meaningful conversations over on The BIO Girls Podcast. We continue to engage with professionals in our community, discussing mental health and wellness topics that are relevant to parents and adolescents.

On the Blog

See all BIO Girls blog posts containing parent resources.