Getting ready for a new school year can have you falling into the same old routine: buying new clothes, stocking up on school supplies, completing school forms and making sure everything is ready for the first day.

It’s easy to go on autopilot and miss crucial questions like:

• How does she feel about herself right now?

• Is she comfortable speaking up? 

• Does she have people and places where she feels like she can be herself? 

• What happens when a friendship shifts, or she starts comparing herself to everyone around her?

This year, make room for something else: helping her build the confidence, voice and sense of self she’ll carry with her into the classroom and beyond.

Here are five ways to start.

1. Ask what she thinks

It sounds simple, but regularly asking for her opinion sends an important message: what she thinks matters.

Ask what she would do in a situation. Let her help make decisions. Give her room to explain an idea, even when you already know what you would choose.

Those everyday moments give girls practice using their voices and trusting their own thoughts.

2. Make room for mixed feelings

She’s excited to see her friends, but feeling nervous about having a new teacher. She’s looking forward to the new year, but wishes the summer was a tad bit (who are we kidding) a lot longer.

Give her room to have all the feelings. Every worry doesn’t have to be fixed immediately. Just knowing that she can say it out loud and you’re there to listen is exactly what she needs.

3. Help her find places where she can belong

Her social circle can switch up in the blink of an eye. Even girls returning to the same school may be figuring out where they fit. Be ready with ideas for places and activities that support what she enjoys, whether it’s a club, an after-school program or simply a group of people who make her feel seen and encouraged.

4. Leave some room in the schedule

The year can quickly turn into filling every open afternoon with something.

Before you add one more activity, pay attention to what she actually has the energy and interest for. She may be excited to try something new, or she may need a little breathing room while she settles back into the school year.

Either way, let her have some say in what her time looks like.

5. Pay attention to how she talks about herself

Listen closely when she talks about herself, especially when she’s comparing herself to someone else.

“I’m not good at that.” “She’s way better than me.” “I could never do that.”

Those comments can slip into everyday conversation without much notice. When you hear them, get curious. Ask what makes her feel that way or help her recognize what she may be overlooking about herself.

You don’t have to counter every negative comment with a compliment. Sometimes, simply helping her question the story she’s telling herself can make a difference.

Another place to practice

Girls need more than reminders that they are capable. They need opportunities to practice.

Girls on the Run (grades 3–5) and Heart & Sole (grades 6–8) participants build skills they can use at school, at home and in their communities.

Through movement, conversation and team connection, participants practice speaking up, working through challenges, supporting others, setting goals, recognizing their own strengths and putting confidence into action.

As the new school year begins, it can be one more place where a girl gets to grow, connect and discover confidence in her own way.

Fall registration is now open. Learn more and find a team at www.gotrdc.org/programs.