Free Downloads Girls On The Edge: The Four Factors Driving The New Crisis For Girls--Sexual Identity, The Cyberbubble, Obsessions, Environmental Toxins
Young women are at risk today. In Girls on the Edge, Dr. Leonard Sax shares stories of girls who look confident and strong on the outside but are fragile within. He shows why a growing proportion of teen and tween girls are confused about their sexual identity and obsessed with grades or Facebook. Sax provides parents with tools to help girls become confident women, along with practical tips on helping your daughter choose a sport, nurturing her spirit through female-centered activities, and more.
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Basic Books; Reprint edition (July 12, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0465022065
ISBN-13: 978-0465022069
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 14.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (87 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #14,327 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #20 in Books > Education & Teaching > Schools & Teaching > Education Theory > Philosophy & Social Aspects #29 in Books > Parenting & Relationships > Parenting > Parenting Girls #54 in Books > Parenting & Relationships > Parenting > Teenagers
I can't remember the last time I stayed up this late to read a work of non-fiction. I picked up this book with a hefty dose of skepticism, and found myself entranced. Sax's insights seem spot-on and realistic, even though some of them are gender based. I'm female and work in technology at a Fortune 5 company, so things that blithely apply gender stereotypes make me seethe, but all of his observations seem realistic, insightful, research based, AND ultimately promote more choice, health, and support for girls. Who knew that cheerleading coaches don't have to be trained in how to recognize concussions, even though football coaches do? And that girls are 40 to 300 percent more likely to get concussions than boys (depending on the sport)? Ultimately this book is packed with information about girls in such a way that you can use it to empower your own children, rather than simply excusing bad behaviors with a "well, she's a girl!" label. My daughter is 5, and he directly addresses many of the issues I'm starting to wonder about, and trying to prepare to handle in the all-too-near future.I found his discussion of sexuality to be enlightened rather than repressive, even as it supports some traditional values: "As parents, we must reject the notion that girls have to take off their clothes to empower themselves. Boys don't have to take off their clothes to empower themselves. Girls shouldn't either. / Sexuality is good, but _sexualization_ is bad. Sexuality is about your identity as a woman or a man, about feeling sexual. That's a healthy part of becoming an adult. But sexualization is about being an object for the pleasure of others, about being on display for others.
Working in the online world, and being a pretty in-touch Mom, I didn't think I would be surprised by much in Dr. Sax's book. Boy, I was wrong. Not only does Dr. Sax go through how sexual identity (includes modesty, sexual behavior, etc.), cyberworld/social media, environmental toxins, and obsessions affect girls today--he also offers some practical advice as to how to help your daughter deal with these pressures. Dr. Sax's background as both a psychologist and pediatrician gives an interesting view as to what he has seen in his pediatric practice (and backed up by numerous studies) as well as to how that affects girls.A few highlights:* He suggests having a codeword/phrase to use with your daughter, and teaching it to them young (by 9), so that you can help them get out of uncomfortable situations without them having to express their uncomfortableness with what their friends may be doing. Something like, "So Mom are you baking brownies again?"* He recommends that computers be in a family area, and that you knowingly monitor your child's usage, time, sites, etc. (Let them know.)*If you grew up even in the late 80s, early 90s, you'll be surprised at how common giving oral sex is among today's girls. They're so used to servicing boys (and boys get used to thinking its all about them) that this can lead to them never having an orgasm even when they're older.*Coffee consumption and alcohol consumption are related. Among girls/women who drink coffee regularly, 70% drink alcohol. Among those who do not drink coffee, only 29% drink alcohol. (I wonder if this is an LDS thing?)*The perils of early puberty. Today, breast development at seven is considered normal!
I must admit that I was initially a bit skeptical - What would a MAN know about the troubles girls have after all?!?However, I chose to read the book despite my misgivings as I was intrigued by the sub-title "The Four Factors Driving the New Crisis for Girls - sexual identity, obsessions, environmental toxins and the cyberbubble" I am so very glad that I did!Despite having been written by someone of the opposite sex, this book is absolutely right on. The author has extensive experience working with girls through his family practice and psychotherapy practice. His insights are impressive, if somewhat discouraging due to their nature. He has a daughter himself. I was shocked by some of the information that I read yet I easily identified with other information, as it is something I remember experiencing myself when I was a teen (despite being over 20 years ago for me...)Dr. Sax has identified four key areas of harm to girls as caused by the nature of our society, technology and accepted norms of today. He clearly outlines what the problems are, illustrates the issues with anecdotal stories of girls he's worked with who have struggled with these issues, provides research to further back his position and follows it up with suggestions on how parents can mitigate the named problem areas in hopes of raising a happy, self confident, radiant girl despite the challenges.Some may be put off by the author's titles of the four key areas: sexual identity, obsessions, environmental toxins and the cyberbubble.
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