Against All Odds

I first became aware of Rachel Simmons’s work when I watched a show she hosted on PBS called A Girl’s Life. In it, she introduces the audience to four American teenagers who are dealing with the issues of cyber-bullying, body image, and violence. Simmons is the founder of the Girls Leadership Institute, and she’s written several books, including Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls.

I picked up the revised and updated version of Odd Girl Out from our local library. While reading it, I often turned to Beni to ask if she had to deal with any of the vicious and vindictive peer-on-peer attacks detailed while she was growing up. She answered yes, that she had been victim at various points during her pre-teen and adolescent years, but that the omnipresence of cell phones, lap tops, and social media added a potentially dangerous dimension to the lives of girls growing up in today’s world.

All of which makes me fretful for Olivia’s journey through girlhood, but also hopeful that her mother and I can provide her with the knowledge, support, and love needed to navigate the challenges that come her way. Books like this one help us in our journeys as parents.