Summer Goals for Teen Girls

Teen girls typically have plenty of energy and enthusiasm -- the trick is to channel it constructively. When it comes to planning for summer, it helps to set some goals. By setting goals, teens can increase their self-confidence, gain a sense of purpose, experience success and even become happier, according to the University of Illinois Extension. If you are the parent of a teen girl who is looking for summer goals, show her ways to reach those goals, through volunteering, summer jobs and more.

  1. Summer Job

    • A summer job provides an opportunity to earn money, learn responsibility and gain confidence. Businesses likely to hire teens include restaurants, grocery stores and retail stores. Girls can even start their own businesses. Girls who are good students can advertise as tutors for younger students or peers who are struggling academically. If they like children, they can babysit or become a nanny. Girls who like to be outside can find yard work or get a job at a garden center. One caveat: teen girls who are 14 or 15 are limited by federal law to working between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. They can't do jobs that might be dangerous, such as operating certain equipment or working construction. Encourage your teen to save some of his earnings for a larger future expense, such as college or a car, spend some on practical items and use a small amount to splurge.

    Volunteer

    • Teens can find a sense of purpose through volunteering. More than half of all teens do volunteer work, according to a national survey conducted in 2012 by DoSomething.org. Volunteers provide needed service in countless ways: by cleaning up the environment, helping the elderly and building houses. VolunteerMatch.org lists tens of thousands of opportunities for people all across the United States. Volunteers are needed to record older people's stories, teach math and reading, clerk at non-profit stores, post photos on a social action blog, take disadvantaged children shopping for school clothes, and lead board games at nursing homes. Whatever their interests are, there's a way to use them to help other people.

    Learn a Skill

    • While school may be out for the summer, girls might enjoy the opportunity to take a class of their own choosing, something less demanding than chemistry or Western Civilization but still challenging. Community classes and recreation centers offer summer classes in many areas of interest: exercise, arts, cooking and language. Teens can learn conversational French, Mediterranean cooking, fitness, calligraphy or creative writing. Or, instead of a formal class, girls can ask a relative or family friend to teach them a new skill, such as sewing, auto maintenance, gardening or cake decorating. They can also apply for summer internships. These look good on a resume and sometimes lead to paying jobs later.

    Recharge

    • Relaxation is a valid and necessary goal, and girls should save some time for sleeping late, hanging out at the pool or lake, taking a stroll and eating ice cream. Also, teens can recharge through meditation techniques. The Mayo Clinic recommends meditation for stress management, increasing self-awareness and reducing the effect of challenging emotions. It may also be helpful for dealing with depression, anxiety and sleep disorders. To meditate, Mayo recommends people choose a quiet setting and a comfortable position, then focus on something such as an object or their breathing. Breathe deeply from the diaphragm and repeat a mantra or special phrase, pray or think of all the things to be grateful for.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • Summer Goals for Teen Girls
      Teen girls typically have plenty of energy and enthusiasm -- the trick is to channel it constructively. When it comes to planning for summer, it helps to set some goals. By setting goals, teens can increase their self-confidence, gain a sense of purp
    • Why Do Teenagers Need Jobs?
      A teenager may have so many things going on in his life that getting a job becomes a low priority. Parents may also reason that a teenagers education should come first. However, there are certain values, skills and advantages that a teenager can get
    • Money Making Ideas for 13-Year-Olds
      Making their own money is a great way for a 13-year-old to learn responsibility. It is also a good introduction to what it is like to work. It builds confidence and teaches a young teen many lessons about the values of hard work. Babysi