Wednesday Wisdom Tips – Calming the Drama Cyclone
I so enjoyed the summer time lull.
The lull? Yes, the calm before the storm of back school. Back to school can mean back to drama in a girl filled home. Maybe you too have witnessed that relationships with girls can be more complicated than relationships with guys.
Girls can be catty. Girls can exaggerate. Girls can turn tears on and turn them off. Most of these things you won’t find in guys…at least not in the ones that live in my house.
One thing that has helped my girls in their girlfriend relationships is to help them look for patterns. Does this friend consistently seem to stir up problems? Does another girl struggle over and over again with jealousy? Is this the first time that her friend has broken down crying in school?
By looking for patterns, I help my girls determine which behavior to focus extra attention and effort on. Her friend may need some extra encouragement and support. They can also see, on their own, which behavior is being generated to create a response and needs to just be let go.
Girls will be girls and often just being in the center of the mix is what fuels their behavior. By teaching our girls to look for consistent behavior we can help them to determine which friendships they should invest in and which relationships are better left alone.
My kids are grown now, but when they were in school I always told them that in any situation when they felt peer pressure to do something they didn’t want to do, remember others are looking for a leader to turn and do what’s right. When you walk toward the Light, turn back and look, there will be someone who will be following your example.The first step may seem hard, but you won’t be alone.
I love this Carol! Definitely something I want to share with my kids! Thanks!