Last week, CBS News released an article that highlighted the increase of violence between girls. This is not a new or novel problem. Since Hannah and Peninnah in the Old Testament, women have dealt with mean girls and social aggression. The difference with today's girls is the physical violence that has spiked. It's no longer just a battle of words—it's a battle of fists.
What has caused the increase in physical aggression? Everything from hormones to violence in the media to parental absence has been blamed. While I want to understand why, the more important question is, how do we handle this issue among girls?
1. Provide opportunities for physical activity. Girls have erratic hormones and strong emotions. Put them together and you're sitting on a powder keg ready to explode. The problem is that there are few socially accepted conduits for those emotions. Not every girl is on a basketball or soccer team. To help those who aren't, provide opportunities for them to get some energy out. Organize a powder puff football game. Put up a basketball goal in front of your house and get a ball game going before Bible study. Utilize the summer months to play lots of ice breaker games outside. Keep the competition fun. Every little bit helps.
2. Teach girls how to express emotions in a healthy way. In puberty, girls' emotions are radically changing from day to day or even hour by hour. It's a scary thing. Girls need to know that there will be some days that they want to cry for no reason (and yes, it's OK just to cry). They need to learn through example or thorugh a Bible study how to deal with anger, depression, disappointment, and fear. Why not host a Bible study that tackles emotions? And why not invite parents to a separate Bible study on helping teens manage those emotions? Many parents are just as wigged out as the girls!
3. When you see examples of girl-on-girl violence, talk about it. What led up to the confrontation? Why did these girls see physical violence as the only solution? What consequences do these girls face for dealing with their emotions in such an unproductive manner? Peer (and adult) culture often glorifies violence between girls. Show girls the downside.
4. Teach girls conflict resolution skills. There are a ton of online suggestions for conflict management. Find some that will resonate with the girls you lead. Give them some tools for working through a situation that seems impossible. Girls who feel like they are backed into a corner with no way out are much more likely to turn violent toward others (or herself).
Have you ever considered adding more videos to your blog posts to keep the readers more entertained? I mean I just read through the entire article of yours and it was quite good but since I'm more of a visual learner,I found that to be more helpful.