A combination of regular school testing and a lack of family time is
"robbing" girls of their childhoods, findings from a voluntary
organisation suggested today.
Young girls feel under pressure to perform well academically, with
adult expectations adding to their anxiety, according to new evidence
published by Girlguiding UK and the Mental Health Foundation.
The findings emerged from a consultation among a panel of children's
experts and girls aged 10-16 considering the organisations' joint
report, published in July, entitled A Generation Under Stress?.
The panel highlighted that busy, modern lifestyles are cutting short
the amount of quality time girls are able to spend with their families.
Yet it found girls place great value on this time and see it as crucial to their own happiness.
Echoing the views of her peer group, one young participant said:
"You can't relax - there's always another set of exams around the
corner."
It suggested girls are turning away from traditional media, which
they feel "demonises" them and "ignores the positive", while they
instead opt to use internet networking sites and discussion forums.
The panel stressed the importance of adults accepting their
responsibilities as role models for young women, while recommending
formal education placed greater emphasis on emotional resilience not
just academia.
Denise King, chief executive of Girlguiding UK, said: "Young girls
today face a new generation of pressures that leave too many suffering
stress, anxiety and unhappiness.
"All of us who care about young women have a part to play in helping
them find a way through these conflicting demands to build the
confidence they need to be themselves."
She said the tradition of Girlguiding provided a "safe space" for girls to form friendships away from external stresses.
Andrew McCulloch, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation,
said: "Modern life is changing the face of girlhood as we know it. We
cannot turn the tide on developments and so adults need to understand
the pressures that girls today are experiencing in order to best
support them."
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