Reading Group Notes:

What’s Happening to Our Girls?

What is pop culture expert Douglas Rushkoff referring to when he says, ‘Today, the most intensely targeted demographic is the baby—the future consumer … The fresh neurons of young brains are valuable mental real estate to admen.’

What immediate and longterm changes do you think these are bringing?

How do today’s tweens differ from young girls of 7 up, five or ten years ago?

Does parenting need to change to accommodate these changes?

Why are our young teens so desperate to grow up?

What truth is there in this comment by Carly, 16, ‘Now you know you’ve done well if you are a doctor and marry a doctor, and you have a big house and car, and a couple of kids and a nanny.’

Where are teen anxieties coming from?

What are pro-ana and pro-mia websites and why can they endanger girls with eating disorders?

What makes drinking, sex and drugs so attractive?

Why are shopping malls the number one destination for most teen girls?

What are the main elements in the secret lives of girls?

Why do teen girls cut themselves?

How best can parents remain relevant to their teens?

What is the attraction of early marriage and babies all about?

How can we best support twenty-first century girls to grow up?

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