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On this #MiddleSchoolMondayz, in honor of Women's History Month, let's talk about three ways you can help your middle school daughter, students, or a middle school girl in your sphere of influence start thinking about and building her own legacy.
The middle school age is the perfect time to introduce legacy, character, and concepts of integrity to our girls. Legacy is technically defined as a gift by will or something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past. In short, the simplest way to define a legacy for a middle schooler would be by explaining the importance of their reputation. You can define legacy as what people will say and know about you in your absence or when you pass away. Letting them know what they leave behind is so important.
We live in a time and place when negativity, canceling, putting others down, and impulsiveness are encouraged. As a result, students are growing increasingly accustomed to celebrating selfishness and single-minded views, which has limited our younger generation to shortsightedness and obliviousness to principles such as delayed gratification, resilience, discipline, community, thinking things through, and legacy development.
This is why balancing the stories and messages students see on television or social media is so important. So, today, we'll talk about the significance of legacy and Women's History Month and how they can make history for themselves.
As a professional coach, I enjoy coaching students and my mentees on the importance of selflessness and how, even as youths, they should consider how they want to be remembered in life.
Furthermore, teaching the concept of legacy helps teen and preteen girls build confidence, purpose, and positive self-esteem. Knowing they have made a difference and have a legacy to leave behind is crucial for their general health and development. After all, empowered girls who are well-equipped to think about and plan for their own legacies will likely mature into historic women!
Below are three strategies to help them get started.
Volunteerism and Community Service: Have your middle schooler get involved in volunteer activities and community service projects to make a positive impact in their communities. Encourage her to get plugged into helping others. Whether she's participating at church, in local clean-up efforts, volunteering at a food bank, or organizing a fundraiser for a cause they care about, these experiences will help them build empathy, ownership, communication and leadership skills, and a sense of responsibility.
For service opportunities in your area, visit www.voluenteermatch.org.
Leadership Roles: Middle school is the perfect time for students to take on leadership roles in school clubs, sports teams, student government, and even at home or with siblings. By stepping up as club officers, team captains, or class representatives, they can develop leadership skills, learn accountability and discipline, foster teamwork, and make meaningful contributions to their school community. Encouraging leadership at home helps with progress toward independence, which can help parents in the long run, especially if there are younger students at home. These experiences also help to build confidence, teaching students to advocate for themselves and others.
Academic Excellence: Building a legacy through academic excellence involves setting high standards for oneself, striving for academic achievement, and inspiring others to do the same. Parents and educators can support this by challenging and encouraging their students to set smart academic goals. Middle schoolers can focus on excelling in their goals and studies, seeking opportunities for intellectual growth and enrichment. When middle schoolers demonstrate dedication, perseverance, and a commitment to learning, they set a positive example for their peers, which lays the foundation for future success, thus academically building a legacy.
These are just a few simple strategies that we can use to empower our preteen and teen girls to develop their own legacies that will serve them well for the rest of their lives.
Let's support and celebrate the incredible potential of every girl and help them flourish in a world where they feel valued, respected, and capable of reaching their dreams.
Let me know what your future leader is doing to build her legacy in the comments below.
Xo,
Coach Rahk
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