GIRLS HAVE GOT THIS.

Some research into parent interactions with kids has found that parents are more likely to support their boys to take risks and be brave, and more likely to tell girls to be careful and and help them off equipment sooner.

Boys and girls bodies and abilities are pretty much identical before puberty - so what does this mean for our kids?!

What it can mean is that girls are conditioned to feel more vulnerable, fragile and less capable than boys. They may the feel fear in new situations and avoid taking risks - so they don't get to practice that skill or get better at it. We know that climbing is good for brain development - it requires critical thinking skills, working memory, creativity, hand-eye coordination, spacial awareness and it develops physical strength. When we don't encourage our girls to climb, we rob them of the opportunity to develop those kinds of skills which of course carry over into all aspects of life.

When it comes to adulthood, this may also mean that our girls are timid and passive, less likely to take on bigger opportunities as they've been conditioned to see risks as 'scary'.

So what can we do?! Well when we know better we can do better. Let's support our kids to see new things as a challenge that should be taken on, rather than 'scary'. Let's assume that our kids CAN do something, and not pass our unease on to them by making comments about its difficulty. Instead of telling kids to 'be careful' let's praise them for paying attention or give them some verbal guidance on next steps. Let's let our kids move their bodies how they see fit and climb as high as they feel safe.

Here's to raising strong and resilient girls.

You've got this.

Watch the full reel here