SHE: Sisters Healthy & Empowered

The relationship between social media and teenage girls causes a lot of concern for many parents and educators.  What's going on?  Firstly, we need to educate ourselves about the facts.

Teen girls often check their phones before showering, brushing their teeth, and eating breakfast. They may look at what their friends have posted on Instagram or upload videos to TikTok on the way to school. They also reply to late-night texts in a group conversation with their best buddies. These may seem like little things. But social media platforms affect many teen girls' mental and emotional health. Researchers looked at the information from more than 15,000 girls.

They found that frequent use of social media hurts girls' mental health more than boys'.

What impact does social media have on girls? Social media has pros and cons, just like any other type of technology. The effects of social media on girls are both positive and negative. For example, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook can help LGBTQ+ teens feel less alone. However, the impacts of social media on girls can also be very bad for their mental health.

Social media is especially linked to girls' stress. Teenage brains are still developing and their minds are going back and forth between who they think they are, who they want to be, and who they think their parents want them to be. It’s difficult for girls to further navigate social expectations of womanhood.

Teens also risk cyberbullying, body image concerns, and computer addiction by overusing apps. It also reduces healthful, real-world activities.

Most parents think they know what their daughters post on social media. According to a Pew Study, 70% of girls hide their online consumption from their parents. Social media can harm girls more than boys. But at different ages, both could be less happy with their lives if they use social media excessively.

We think that our girls like and need to be on social media. However, social media research shows the opposite.

Unfortunately, when girls aged 11–13 and boys aged 14–15 use social media, it makes them less happy overall.

Adults, corporations, and educators need to prioritize youth mental health and find innovative ways to protect our girls when it comes to their excessive social media use. We are just beginning to understand what this means, how to be effective, and why it needs to be a priority.

Sisterhood Agenda does this in many ways.  We integrate strategies on how to have a healthy relationship with social media in all of our Global Educational Empowerment programs, we recently published a new book about it, Girls Guide:  How to Cope with Social Media Addiction, and Sisterhood Agenda posts articles on our site such as:

• 4 Ways for Teenagers to Have a Healthy Relationship with Social Media
• Social Media and Teenagers-4 More Ways for a Healthy Relationship
• Healthy Social Media Use Among Adolescents
• Social Media and Teenage Girls
• The Addictive Nature of Social Media
• How Social Media is Affecting Young Girls
• The Influence of Social Media on Girls
• Sisterhood & Social Isolation

Above all, we must not ignore the warning signs when it comes to mental health. As a society, we cannot be willing to give up our girls’ health and emotional well-being in exchange for profit and corporate interests.

The fight for greater Internet protection for children as an advocate for girls must continue. We are in this together.

Excerpted from sisterhoodagenda.com

Links:

• Healthy Social Media Use Among Teenage Girls
• 4 Ways Teenagers Can Have a Healthy Relationship Social Media
• 4 More Ways Have a Healthy Relationship with Social Media

Since the project started, we have been expanding SHE project sites in the United States and the Caribbean. This summer, Sisterhood Agenda engaged our Summer Youth Team to help us with all summer activities including, but not limited to our Global Girls Initiative, which includes SHE:  Sisters, Healthy & Empowered.  This year, post-pandemic SHE goals were obtained through SisterCamp Summer Enrichment Program implementation. We are so happy to do these activities in person again and to work with our multigenerational staff.  

Holistic health affects all aspects of our lives. When we start young, our girls can develop healthy habits that last a lifetime.  We can prevent disease, promote positive mental health and relaxation, and prevent anxiety and depression.

According to Leah Smith, our Summer Youth Team Member:

"SisterCamp/BrotherCamp Summer Enrichment Program has got you covered! SisterCamp/BrotherCamp Summer Enrichment Program is a good way to get your child out of the house for summer. 

In the SisterCamp/BrotherCamp Summer Enrichment Program, children are given a set schedule of fun, yet mentally enriched, activities.

The kids are given an environment that gives them the safe space to express themself whether that's artistically or just expressing their thoughts.   

Sister/Brotherhood Camp is also an amazing enrichment program. This summer, I had a chance to teach core values that they can follow throughout their life. For example, the program is NOT a daycare where the kids do whatever until you pick them up.

Our team is involved and actively making sure kids learn and interact by doing various activities during the day.

SisterCamp/BrotherCamp Summer Enrichment Program is to enrich the mind of the campers. 

SisterCamp/BrotherCamp Summer Enrichment Program also teaches kids about self-love and acceptance by starting each day with affirmations. Then, the participants practiced their writing and critical thinking skills by writing answers to our writing prompts. After that, they are given an activity to accomplish such as coloring, drawing, or painting for self-expression. After lunch, we have meditation time to relax and let their meals digest. 

SisterCamp/BrotherCamp Summer Enrichment Program is an amazing environment for kids.

They are given an amazing supporting team of leaders who are hands-on and ready to help the children however they can. Our main goal of the SisterCamp/BrotherCamp Summer Enrichment Program is to give kids a safe learning environment where they can have fun in the process." 

Program snacks are healthy snacks as we teach young girls to make positive choices with activities, food, friends, and their environments through SisterCamp activities. Together, we participated in physical activities such as hiking, walking to the pond on campus, swimming, playing hide and seek, stretching, and basketball. There were also weekly field trips.

Participants say:

“I would take this camp over a million times.” Liam, 7 years old

“I had so much fun this summer that I don’t want this summer program to end.  It was the best!” Hannah, 9 years old

“I appreciate you and your daughter so much for granddaughter having a wonderful summer. Thank you!” Ms. Tori, grandmother

Thank you so much for your love, patience and support. We truly appreciate it!!" CC, Parent