The List: 101 Skills Every Girl Should Master Before Entering the 9th Grade

Update: "The List" was recently featured by Hermene Hartman, Editor of N'Digo Magazine during her daily segment, "Views From the Heart" on Chicago's V103.
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There's no getting around it. Mastery of life, social and communication skills are critically important to the self development of young ladies. The wonderful thing is that girls don't have to master them all at once. We can develop these skill-sets over time.

Here is our list of 101 Skills Every Girl Should Master Before Entering the 9th Grade. Some are tasks, some of skills....all are based upon and neatly woven into Girls Rule! programming for girls ages 7 - 18. Recognizing that all girls do not experience the same adult modeling, instruction or social, life and communication skills modeling, we have designed this list to meet girls where they are, addressing both remedial needs and advanced ones

Before entering the 9th grade, every young lady should be able to:
(Tasks listed are in no particular order and not all inclusive)

1. Respect adults



2. Disagree without being disagreeable



3. Properly groom her nails, hair and body from head to toe



4. Understand what her clothing and personal style choices tell the world about her



5. Hem a skirt/pants



6. Sort and wash clothing



7. Boil an egg



8. Navigate the public transportation system



9. Select the proper undergarment for her outfit



10. Listen to a friend



11. Master her emotions



12. Say no "gracefully"



13. Read a newspaper



14. Plan a meeting or gathering



15. Use a map



16. Answer the phone properly



17. Prepare her own breakfast



18. Say "please" and "thank you"



19. Handle conflict with poise and grace



20. Write a check



21. Set a table for a family or holiday gathering



22. Respect the role of teachers



23. Plan a schedule of weekly activities



24. Set goals



25. Pack her clothes for a three day trip



26. Create a budget



27. Calculate sales tax



28. Dress for her body type



29. Dress appropriately for formal, informal and casual events/activities



30. Properly use eating utensils



31. Make a dinner reservation



32. Read a bus or train schedule



33. Schedule a doctor appointment



34. Properly measure over the counter medication dosages



35. Attend church on their own



36. Complete a job application



37. Speak confidently and clearly



38. Register for summer employment



39. Take a proper telephone message



40. Write a 3 paragraph letter



41. Walk away from an argument



42. Know her clothing measurements



43. Read, write and understand how to use a table of contents



44. Properly count, fold and protect her own money



45. Shop for the best deal



46. Cook a balanced meal



47. Recite a prayer



48. Respect herself in all situations



49. Iron her own clothes



50. Clean out a refrigerator



51. Clean her room



52. Protect herself from an aggressor



53. Select ripe fruits and vegetables



54. Follow written and verbal instructions properly



55. Speak proper English



56. Understand how to read and pay a utility bill



57. Honor her word



58. Call or hail a cab when alone



59. Shop for groceries



60. Change a light bulb



61. Tell the truth



62. Properly dust furniture



63. Baby-sit younger siblings for a day or night



64. Make decisions that honor her body



65. Create a document on a computer



66. Understand formal, information and casual dining etiquette



67. Order breakfast, lunch or dinner from a menu



68. Perform CPR



69. Send a parcel post package



70. Wrap a gift



71. Lead a project or committee



72. Speak publicly



73. Re-sew a button onto a garment



74. Put on nylons without running them



75. Utilize library reference materials



76. Use a Thesaurus



77. Be a contributing team member



78. Resolve conflict non-violently



79. Deal effectively with various personality types



80. Trust and believe in herself



81. Respect others



82. Walk away from gossip



83. Deal with jealousy



84. Own her esteem



85. Navigate challenging situations



86. Open a savings account



87. Send a thank-you note



88. Be a gracious hostess



89. Attend school regularly without incident



90. Give a proper handshake



91. Be a respectful guest



92. Calculate the proper tip on a $25 bill



93. Mail a letter



94. Properly introduce herself to others



95. Understand when to use proper English vs Slang



96. Conduct herself properly at the Theater



97. Navigate social networking sites safely



98. Honor her values



99. Pick friends who enhance her life



100. Properly use a Dictionary



101. Calculate wages, taxes and a paycheck

What other skills do you feel are important for young ladies to master before entering the 9th grade?

Ladon Brumfield
Girls Rule!
Inspiring girls to blend...OUT!
http://www.girlz-rule.org/

Parent Toolkit: Differing Opinions, Rebellion and Loss of Parental Control Are Good Things?

Growing up means becoming one's own person. With that come differing opinions, rebellion, and loss of complete parental control. The humorous thing is that when daughters begin to exhibit this perfectly natural behavior, many of us cringe! Life was simpler when they didn't question our authority.

Preadolescence, a Preview of What's to Come
Somewhere between 10 and 11 years old, Sally develops the ability to see things from different points of view—hers included. More and more she will begin evaluating Mom's opinions and how they stack up with her own. This ability to begin to see things from different points and return to the original is called "reversibility thinking."

It may be comforting to keep in mind that much of that original opinion may be made up of the values and ideals little Sally has been raised to believe in before this new era of independent analysis.

Adolescence, Agony, and Ambivalence
The onset of puberty, adolescence, and moral independence is a particularly precarious time for daughters and an era of trauma for their mothers. Once this phase sprouts into full bloom an outgoing, productive Sally can turn into a frustrating, sulky, self-centered young teenager.

Matrophobia, or the fear of becoming like one's mother, is particularly prevalent in adolescence. In fact, it is so common in Western culture that many experts consider it normative behavior.

Building Blocks

Matrophobia is the fear of becoming like one's mother or emulating her basic characteristics. If the fear is particularly potent, a woman may estrange herself from her mother in order to establish her own identity.

The Adolescent Self
All of the sudden sociological (magazine and media ads) and biological (hormonal) forces are demanding that Sally focus on a physical presence that is attractive to the opposite sex. According to Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., author of A Woman's Book of Life, these forces are so powerful that a happy, well-adjusted young girl may become confused and ambivalent over who she was and who she is supposed to be. The pushes and pulls to strengthen "the power to be or the power to please" can, Borysenko claims, exacerbate the onset of depression.

The whole idea of "self versus others" makes the young woman in transition feel conflicted by family pressures, the influence of friends, and pride in her own independence. If she feels guilty for the pride and satisfaction she feels in her own independence, there is a risk she might forego her own attitudes, desires, and opinions in favor of the posture of peacekeeper. Borysenko warns that the role of peacekeeper is performed by connecting with others but excluding oneself. She says that society reinforces this because we grow up with the belief that a good woman is not selfish.

Women who grow up and deny their own identities to win favor of others miss out on the cornerstone of intimacy and mature love, a hearty dose of self-respect.