I joke about singing "It's the Most Wondeful Time of the Year" when my kids go back to school.  There is certainly a part of me that is in a celebratory mood over the whole thing, but there's another part of me that remembers the issues that my girls will have to face at school - because I remember facing them myself.  And things have changed a lot - for the worse  - since I was in school (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth).  Some thing remain the same - the "mean girls" that I don't want to bother my girls - or lure them to the dark side with them; there's the boys who even in Kindergarten make comparisons between girls saying one is prettier than the other; there's the older kids who call the younger ones "babies" and just generally scare them and hurt their feelings.  While all of this is "normal" stuff that everyone has to deal with and learn how to handle in their lives, it goes to self-esteem and confidence.  A strong, confident, self-assured little girl might tell those little boys that she is to pretty, 'cause her Daddy says so; while a not-so-self-assured little girl may not only take those comments to heart, but take them along with her for the rest of her life.  Damage can come quickly and healing can be slow.  So, how do you help these girls?  You really need to be equipped with love, patience, understanding and the power to persuade your girl that she is everything that she is supposed to be - and then some.  Confidence comes in many ways and forms, but one of the best ones I know is through the power of exercise.  Through exercise a girl learns how to be in control of her own health and wellbeing, that's some pretty powerful stuff.  She learns how to be strong and agile, flexible and lithe.  In our classes, we teach these girls these lessons and so much more.  The pride they feel in overcoming obstacles - like starting out only able to do 5 jumping jacks and seeing their own progression.  Throughout the classes, we're always telling them how great they are - what a good job they're doing and how fun they are to be around.  As teachers, we had the epiphany that this may be the only time that these girls hear this type of reinforcement - certainly outside of their own familys - so for the hour or two out of the week - we love 'em up!!  Sure wish I had had a program like this when I was growing up.  It took getting into my 30's to really start to appreciate my unique strengths and assets.  Hey, that's when I got involved in Healthy Girls!!  Coincidence?  I think not!!