Saturday

A Glimpse Inside of a Local Workshop

Instead of making excuses of why I haven't been blogging, how about showing you some pictures?

We just finished a super fun five week session of Girls 101 at a local public school. A very good group of girls, such sweeties.


Why am I always floored when they share why they liked the group and what they learned at the end of our five weeks? I don't know, except that it's a thrilling and encouraging thing for us as leaders to hear girls, unprompted and uncoached,  share the exact things we are hoping they take away from our time together.

Things like...

I got to know more girls that I didn't know well before.
I like that we learned what to do when we get bullied or see someone else get bullied.
I like leaving everything from the day behind and having fun here.
It helps to get stuff the negative stuff out of me and learn how to deal with stuff.











Hopefully using visuals the girls helped create, they will continue to remember things like...

not labeling people, even before giving them a chance
pursuing traits that make a good friend and avoiding traits that cause fights
assessing ourselves as friends as well as we assess other people (smile)
the power of words that can affect others strongly- both positively and negatively

One of my favorite things about new workshops is meeting 15 new girls in our city that I didn't know before.

I loved working with these wonderful ladies. All are former teachers who are now home raising kids. They love this opportunity to get back into a school, be with kids again and teach valuable life skills.




It was a thrill for me to have a photographer in the bunch share her talent! She captured amazing pictures weekly. Thanks to Elizabeth of Sanco Photography for contributing this valuable part. We were able to give each girl a fun picture collage at the end of our session as a momento.

Workshops are available for schools as an after school program, in 5 week sessions for grades 4-12th. If you would like more information, please email me at hollytumpkin@gmail.com.

Wednesday

Girls 101 Summer Camps - Sign Up Now!

I'm so excited to announce TWO GIRLS 101 SUMMER CAMPS! This is one of the events that is open to all the girls of our community, so grab some friends and sign up today!

1) "Friendship Camp- Making and Being a Good Friend" 

In a fun, interactive setting, you'll understand the gift of friendship, the secret of a girls' greatest need, why girls fight, tips on getting along and the challenge of being a she-ro!

JUNE 3, 4, 5 for graduated 4th and 5th grade girls. 10:00am - 1:00pm daily. UPSTAIRS at The Blue Cottage, 409 E. A Street in Jenks, just off Main Street. Enter by the outside staircase to second floor.

Cost is $90.00 per girl by May 17. A non-refundable deposit of $50.00 will reserve your spot today! The remainder is due by May 17.

(Early  bird discount if paid in full by May 3 is $75.00.)

Bring a sack lunch each day- we will enjoy lunch together! Drinks provided.

T-shirts are available to order for $15.00 with registration. 

(click on this link right here to sign up!) http://www.5things.us/p/sign-up-for-summer-camp.html

If you would prefer to sign up by mail instead of paying online, please click on the above link, click on the big green button that says "Sign Up Now" and print the form. Mail form and payment to: Holly Tumpkin, Girls 101, 9524 E. 81st St. Suite B1503, Tulsa OK 74133.


2) "Identity and Influence- Coloring Your World"

As always, in a fun and interactive atmosphere, you'll learn about keeping grounded in who you are and using your influence for good in a world that needs you! We want to discover how to strengthen the "friend world" around you, to understand motivations of people....understanding yourself and others during a potentially confusing time of life, middle school.

JUNE 17, 18, 19 for graduated 5th and 6th grade girls, 10:00am-1:00pm, UPSTAIRS at the Blue Cottage, 409 E. A Street in Jenks, OK. Enter by the outside staircase to second floor.

Cost is $90.00 due by May 31. A non-refundable deposit of $50.00 will reserve your spot. Remainder due by May 31.

(Early bird discount if paid in full by May 17- $75.00)

Bring a sack lunch each day- we will enjoy lunch together. Drinks provided.

T-shirts are available to order at $15.00 with registration. 

(click on this link right here to sign up!) http://www.5things.us/p/sign-up-for-summer-camp.html

If you would prefer to sign up by mail instead of paying online, please click on the above link, click on the big green button that says "Sign Up Now" and print the form. Mail form and payment to: Holly Tumpkin, Girls 101, 9524 E. 81st St. Suite B1503, Tulsa OK 74133.

Here are some pictures from last year's Friendship Camp!
















 JOIN US THIS SUMMER FOR A BLAST! Come alone, come with a group of friends, whichever you prefer. Last camp we had girls from 5 schools there. We mix it up, make new friends and have a lot of fun!!

I will love you forever if you'll forward this along to friends and family who have girls in this age range!!





4th and 5th Grade Girls- The Worst Time of Day

Last week began a new Girls 101 workshop at a local elementary school.

To get things started, we did some brainstorming on first thoughts that come to mind when you hear the topic "Girls" or "Friends".

The first column are all the good things that friendships bring. I'm sure you can see from the second column, these are the negative things that come along with friendships among girls.

So is it a given that drama has to be a part of a girl's life?

Well, it's hard to avoid it completely, so there are some things we can talk through and learn about that help to deal with complications as they arise. Girls can feel a little more equipped at least, instead of helpless.

We challenge girls to think through the behavior of the offender, what motivates people to be mean in the first place. What's nice about doing workshops in schools, I have no idea who the nice ones or the mean ones are, (many can be both) and we talk freely about the issues, challenging each to the same standards.

According to girls everywhere, a lot happens at lunch and recess.  Many say recess is the worst because it's face to face conflict. Other times of the day, messages are being sent through other people, so it's more indirect, but recess is the mean person's chance to get face to face with you.

Discussion Starters:  Ask your daughter what lunchtime and recess are like at her school. Does she dread either for any reason? Does she see bad behavior happening to people? If so, take the opportunity to tell her your thoughts on how she can stand up for herself or others.


Monday

Hidden Thoughts of Tweens


I'm working on a project, so I pulled out a file from my cabinet. In it are many, many papers full of anonymous statements girls have written over the years during meetings and workshops.

When given the chance to air (even anonymously) the negative thoughts that nag their minds, they are happy to do so. Girls from various schools, various grades and situations in life have contributed, yet their statements are always strangely similar. 




I'm too shy.
I'm too quiet. Too sensitive.
I'm too loud.
I'm too ugly. Too skinny.
I'm so ugly.
I feel like I'm not worth it. I'm never going to fit in.
I'm not cool.
I'm too nice.
I wish I was better.
I feel like I'm not loved.
I'm too fat.
I feel not needed.

Girls everywhere have to overcome thoughts like these. Whether they have much or little, appear popular or subdued, one thing I've learned is most girls fight these feelings.

Many thoughts are based on looks, because we as a culture emphasize that more than anything, to our detriment.

Many thoughts are based in not being confident to be who they are. Goodness, we adults are still learning that, aren't we!?

Girls should remember that all girls, even the ones who appear most confident and perfect, and those who may even appear indifferent, all fight similar inner battles.

This is a good reason to be nice to each other. We have no idea what inner struggles people are going through. A nice person can make all the difference. So can a mean one. For good or bad.

During the tween years, there is tremendous pressure to become like everyone else. But isn't that bizarre?

There is no way every person can be the same. Tweens feel pressure to conform, to be loud or to be quiet, to be cool and confident, anything to fit in.

Yet if they aren't being true to themselves, trying to conform to everyone else will eventually wear them down.

If everyone is fighting the same battles, how about helping each other through them?

Discussion Starter:

Show your daughter these statements that other real girls have written. Ask her if they are common thoughts among girls she knows. Maybe it will lead to the thoughts she struggles with.