The Blog of P.U.R.E. and Sue Scheff

As the Dove Movement for Self-Esteem unfolds, there is a powerful question that is being passed around and one that most people have a variety of answers for.  Whether you are 18 or 58 or even 78, the answers contain lessons from experience . What do you wish you had known at 13 years old? Here are some of the responses from the Dove Movement website as well as from Twitter : Play more, worry less! My father really was smart but at 13 I knew it all. Enjoy being young/don't wish to be older yet. That the abuse I was suffering had nothing to do with how bad I was but how bad the perpetrator was. That being myself was the best way to be 'cool!' These are only a few of the fantastic responses the Dove Movement has received.  For those in South Florida, one of the issues that is often heard, is about using sun-screen more generously.  In your teen years many are more concerned about their tan (self-image) than the damage the sun is doing to...

What an interesting article this week on Connect with Kids.  Gossip can be good in some ways and extremely hurtful in other ways.  Where is the balance?  Be an educated parent, read this educational article. Source: Connect with Kids Gossip Is Good “It lets people really know each other, and know about what's going on in their lives. And that enables people to feel safe. It makes them feel a sense of belonging.” – Wendy Simonds, PhD, sociology The Tiger Woods scandal sparked discussions about personal image and adultery on news stations and at dinner tables across the country. But are these discussions useful or just gossip? Some experts say they can be both. "Did you see the outfit she had on?" friends Zuri and Meimi laugh. It's often irresistible and painful. "[It] ruins friendships, ruins lives, messes people's reputations, hurt's people's feelings," seventeen-year-old Zuri says. "I'm normally the one who starts and sp...

Source: Dove Self Esteem Fund Every Parent’s Back-to-School Tip Sheet for Today’s Teen Girl How to Avoid a Back-to-School Breakdown 1. Body Image Breakdown: When girls feel bad about their looks, more than 70%, ages 15-17,avoid normal daily activities such as attending school. o TIP: Your daughter’s body image starts with you! Show her each and every day how great you feel about your body and your looks. That will begin to set the tone in teaching your daughter about appearance and what it means to be proud of who she is – inside and out. By not insisting your daughter looks a certain way — whether it is what she wears, how her hair looks or how she has to behave in what she is wearing — you will build the foundation for how she sees her body and the importance of how she looks. 2. Super Girl Syndrome: Girls may respond to the pressure around them from school, media, parents and peers by trying to do it ALL (look perfect, get good grades and have a busy social life), and do it all perf...

When your child comes home with disappointing news that they either didn't make the team or was recently cut from the team, are you prepared on how to handle these feelings of rejection and negative emotions? Be an educated parent - here are some very good parenting tips. Source: Connect with Kids “There’s about 30 kids in there, and only 10 can make it.” – Glenn, Age 13 The start of the school year means the start of sports try-outs. Kids will run and jump and throw and catch as hard as they can and then some find out they didn ’t make it. They didn ’t get chosen for the team. How can you help your child cope with rejection? Fourteen-year-old Chelsea and 13-year-old Glenn are trying out for their middle school basketball teams. “[It’s been] pretty hard, for a try-out,” Glenn says. “I’ ve been working hard doing push ups, sit-ups, running a mile, doing different drills,” Chelsea adds. It’s a competitive program, so they might make the program and they might not. Those who don’t, ...

Debra Beck, an Author and Mentor to Teens, has a wonderful website http://www.myfeetarentugly.com/ and focus's on building your teens self esteem. Having self confidence can help your teen make better choices. Debra just posted a very timely Blog on Teens and Money - check it out! By Debra Beck It’s amazing to me how teens react to money differently. My oldest daughter didn’t like to spend her money or mine for that matter. She was always very picky about what she purchased to make sure that the money was well spent. My youngest on the other hand spent both of our money without a second thought, and sometimes on wasteful things. I am noticing the same with my partners boys, one is very careful about his spending, and the other has the money spent in no time at all. What can we do as parents to assure that our teens have a certain amount of respect for money, no matter where it is coming from. The first thing I suggest is starting at a young age. Be careful that you don’t give th...

Debra Beck , a mentor for teens and author, has created a wonderful and engaging website to help parents of today's young teen girls. Her book, My Feet Aren't Ugly , offers tools and information to help you help your child build their self esteem and feel good about who they are. About Debra: For fifteen years, Debra Beck has done workshops with Girl Power, a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that is dedicated to helping “encourage and motivate eleven- to sixteen-year-old girls to make the most of their lives.” Her book " My Feet Aren't Ugly " will resonate with teenage girls and their parents equally for its sound advice and helpful suggestions, based on the author's own experiences. Learn more at her website at www.myfeetarentugly.com

As school is open throughout our country, teens all over will have to confront peer pressure and in many instances, it involves their body image. Do they fit in? Are they too heavy? Too thin? Parents need to be aware of their kids and how they are feeling about themselves both emotionally and psychically to help prevent peer pressure from controlling their teen's behavior. Body Image in Teens by Sarah Maria If you're in high school, most of your friends are probably on a diet. A recent study shows that 90% of junior and senior girls are on a diet regularly, even though only 10-15% are actually overweight. The modeling industry also promotes the idea that you need to diet and exercise religiously. Fashion models are actually thinner than 98% of American women. An average woman stands 5'4" tall and weighs about 140 lbs, while the average fashion model is a towering 5'11" tall and weighs under 117 lbs. In reality no amount of dieting, exercise and discipline can...

Sarah Maria is a body-image expert and personal empowerment specialist who helps people love their bodies no matter how they look. She leads workshops internationally and works one-on-one in consulting sessions to assist people in overcoming hatred and dissatisfaction with their bodies using holistic healing and spiritual principles. She's a certified meditation teacher, Yoga instructor, and Ayurvedic Lifestyle Counselor. Contact her at Contact her at sarah@breakfreebeauty . Be sure to sign up for her Newsletters and Radio Show at http://www.breakfreebeauty/ - you won’t want to miss how you can start believing in yourself and empowering yourself and your teen to feel good about who you are. Body Image in Teens If you're in high school, most of your friends are probably on a diet. A recent study shows that 90% of junior and senior girls are on a diet regularly, even though only 10-15% are actually overweight. The modeling industry also promotes the idea that you need to diet a...