Over the Wire

Nature or Nurture?

In case you have just joined this blog this week, I have a daughter and a son, both of whom I happily talk about whenever I can find even the most tenuous link to a blog post...  But today, I actually have a semi-strong connection to discuss. 

I have constant wonderment as a parent about the differences between my two kids – is it gender? Birth order?  My ever-changing parenting style?  The temperament they were born with?

Before becoming a mom, I swore I would mold the “perfect” child but now I feel like I am doing a good job if I am able to impact the margins.  Mostly I just hope to soften the edges a little bit, help my kids grow to be better citizens and, ideally, make informed, positive choices. 

And this last point gets us to the data for today….

According to the study we conducted for the Girl Scout Research Institute (that has been discussed throughout the week), boys and girls are equally unlikely to make poor choices that directly impact their academic performance, like cheating on a test or lying to a principal.

• Cheating on a test—Boys (8%) vs. Girls (7%)
• Lying to a principal—Boys (27%) vs. Girls (27%)

However, teenage boys are more likely to make decisions that can aversely affect others – ending a friendship with a gay and lesbian peer, choosing to have sex, advising someone else to get an abortion.  And, they are also less interested in volunteering to support their community.

• End a friendship with a gay or lesbian peer—Boys (20%) vs. Girls (7%)
• Have sex if their significant other wanted to—Boys (38%) vs. Girls (18%)
• Advise friend to get an abortion—Boys (12%) vs. Girls (6%)
• Volunteer to support community—Boys (77%) vs. Girls (81%)

Following stereotype, while girls appear to be more focused on the “other” (their community, their friends) and making a difference in the world around them, they are also more likely to make risky choices for themselves. 

• Drink alcohol with friends and not worry about it—Boys (14%) vs. Girls (20%)
• Take money from parents without asking—Boys (2%) vs. Girls (4%)

Clearly the dialogue with boys and girls needs to offer a slightly different lens.  We see hints of the differences in this data, but also throughout our youth research whether it be on health, politics or employment. 

We very much appreciate the insight on Wednesday from Judy Schoenberg, Director, Research & Outreach, Girl Scouts of the USA on what the Girl Scouts are doing to translate teens’ good intentions to good actions. 

And wondering from you, what else should we all be doing as parents, friends and mentors?

Data Snapshot

Nearly 1 in 10 (8%) youth say that they don’t know what they would do if someone they knew was being cyberbullied. ---Good Intentions: The Beliefs and Values of Teens and Tweens Today, commissioned by the Girl Scouts of the USA and conducted using online and school-based techniques between October 2, 2008 and January 23, 2009, among a national sample of 3,263 students—boys and girls in grades 3 through 12, both in and out of Girl Scouting

Risky Business

Building on the posts from earlier this week, teens, like every other group on the planet, do not think or act homogenously.  A study we recently did for the Girl Scouts of the USA finds that many characteristics (like parenting, religion, gender and academic performance) all influence the ethical choices of teens.  

And of course… then there’s age.  How we enter our teens at age 13 (curious but unknowing) is certainly not how we leave at age 19 (rougher around the edges, but deeper and hopefully stronger).

As evidenced by the data, younger teens are much more likely to make (what would commonly be defined as) positive choices - not because they know better, but probably because they are doing what they have been told by grown-ups.  While older teens are much more likely to experiment, make risky decisions, and follow the advice of peers.  All in all, no surprise, the data shows that younger teens are:

• More likely to refuse an alcoholic drink (70% of 11-12 year olds vs. 58% of 13-15 year olds and 52% of 16-17 year olds)
• Less likely to say it is acceptable for an unmarried couple to have sex if they love each other (25% of 11-12 year olds vs. 43% of 13-15 year olds and 58% of 16-17 year olds)
• Less likely to say they would have sex if their significant other really wanted to (12% of 11-12 year olds vs. 24% of 13-15 year olds and 43% of 16-17 year olds)
• Less likely to think abortion is right (18% of 11-12 year olds vs. 23% of 13-15 year olds and 31% of 16-17 year olds)

So the question naturally becomes: how to influence the decisions of older teens, a group that is nearly split down the middle with respect to alcohol and sex?   What makes certain older teens more risk-averse or risk-seeking than others?

Data Snapshot

Only about 1 in 5 (17%) 7th-12th graders say they would drink alcohol with their friends without worrying about it, compared to 25% in 1989. --- Good Intentions: The Beliefs and Values of Teens and Tweens Today, commissioned by the Girl Scouts of America and conducted using online and school-based techniques between October 2, 2008 and January 23, 2009, among a national sample of 3,263 students—boys and girls in grades 3 through 12, both in and out of Girl Scouting

Values Based Leadership: Connecting Good Intentions to Action

Post by Judy Schoenberg, Director, Research & Outreach, Girl Scouts of the USA

Girl leaders have been at the heart of Girl Scouts since its founding in 1912, when Juliette Gordon Low recognized that developing girls’ leadership abilities was critical for ensuring they would be the change-makers of the future. However approaching the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting we know that as much as things have changed for girls and women, there is still more work to be done. 

There is a current crisis in female leadership in the U.S. and only a small percentage of women occupy top leadership positions across business, politics, academia and government.  What will it take to change this course of history?  One thing we know for sure from research conducted in 2008 by the Girl Scout Research Institute reported in Change It Up! What Girls Say About Redefining Leadership is that the current model of “command and control” leadership does not resonate with girls’ desire to make a difference in the world around them.  Instead, girls told us they want a version of leadership infused with morals, ethics and social change values. In a new study commissioned by the Girl Scouts of the USA and conducted by Harris, Good Intentions: The Beliefs and Values of Teens and Tweens Today (2009) we further explored the actual values girls and youth aspire to and how this thinking may inform their leadership skills and qualities. 

What we found in Good Intentions is that compared to two decades ago, youth today say they will make responsible choices and refrain from risky behaviors. As Laura mentioned in last Friday’s post, they value diversity and acceptance; demonstrate a strong civic commitment and engagement and say they can withstand peer pressure and are willing to stand up for themselves.  However while many youth have good intentions about making responsible choices, they need help connecting their desires to action.   We hope findings from this study will help inform the development of leadership experiences that help girls live out the values and beliefs they espouse in Girl Scouting and beyond.

One role for adults to help youth actualize their intentions is to keep them focused on their goals.  Youth need adults to support them by discussing their decision-making process rather than placing judgment and to treat their personal struggles with respect.  Young people need ample opportunity engage on issues that matter to them and to take action by serving in their communities.  The New Girl Scout Leadership Experience does just that – in partnership with adults girls discover the world around them, connect with others, and take action on issues they care about and advocate for girls both locally and globally. Their actions and behaviors will then in turn be measured by a new national outcomes model that articulates 15 outcomes for girls from early childhood through adolescence summarized in Transforming Leadership: Focusing on Outcomes of the New Girl Scout Leadership Experience (2008).

We’re certainly not alone in offering young people opportunities to express themselves and build leadership skills, but all of us must redouble our efforts. That's why we want to hear it from you: How do you empower girls to make the world a better place?  What activities have been the most successful? What tips can you offer other adults committed to helping girls grow?

Judy Schoenberg, Ed.M., is the Director of Research & Outreach at the Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI), Girl Scouts of the USA. There she conducts original national research studies on issues focused on the healthy development of girls 6-17 and develops strategic relationships with partners to promote the GSRI as a thought-leader on girls’ issues.  Judy also tracks youth trends and writes research reviews on topics of interest to educators, policymakers and practitioners.  Judy is a national spokesperson for GSUSA and frequently speaks at conferences and other events. Her work has been cited in The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, USA Today, and NPR among others. 

Data Snapshot

Almost half of 7th- to 12th-graders today (48%, compared with 12% in 1989) say that if they found out one of their same-sex friends was involved in a gay or lesbian relationship, they would continue the friendship unchanged. ---Good Intentions: The Beliefs and Values of Teens and Tweens Today, commissioned by the Girl Scouts of America and conducted using online and school-based techniques between October 2, 2008 and January 23, 2009, among a national sample of 3,263 students—boys and girls in grades 3 through 12, both in and out of Girl Scouting

Ethics 101: What Today’s Teens Can Teach Their Predecessors

Despite having barer mid-riffs and more sexting – or so my Parenting magazines tell me – than we did 20 years ago, kids today appear to have better values than we ever did.  And actually it’s not even close.

On every single measure examined in the Girls Scouts 2009 follow-up to their historic 1989 Survey on the Beliefs and Moral Values of America’s Children, girls (and boys) today in grades 7 through 12 express greater restraint, tolerance, and civic involvement than my generation did as teens.  Today:

• 84% say they are likely to vote in the future vs. 77% in 1989
• 76% say they will give to charity in the future vs. 63% in 1989
• 59% say that gay and lesbian relationships are acceptable if it’s the person’s choice vs. 31% in 1989
• 58% say they would refuse an alcoholic drink at a party vs. 46% in 1989
• 33% say they will wait to have sex until they get married vs. 24% in 1989
• 18% say smoking is acceptable if someone finds it enjoyable  vs. 27% in 1989

Wow, who woulda thunk it?  Everything we read and hear is that teens today are better equipped to spell Valium than values. 

But these data say teens may be getting an especially bad rap.  Maybe the in-your-face lyrics and reality exhibition that permeate our teen culture today actually cause teens to make better (not worse) choices for their own personal lives.  And maybe today’s wide open Internet searching and citizen-driven debate have actually empowered teens to gain a better (not worse) understanding of issues.  And maybe being glued to cell phones and Wii and Facebook have actually given teens a larger (not smaller) world view.  Why else, do you think?  

All I can say is that it’s good news and for my kids’ sake, I am just hoping that this new moral compass doesn’t skip a generation.

Data Snapshot

71% of teens today say that their religious beliefs are important to them. --- Good Intentions: The Beliefs and Values of Teens and Tweens Today, commissioned by the Girl Scouts of America and conducted using online and school-based techniques between October 2, 2008 and January 23, 2009, among a national sample of 3,263 students—boys and girls in grades 3 through 12, both in and out of Girl Scouting

Wishing For A Silent Night?

Classics in literature, art, music... you typically either love them or hate them... but in the case of holiday songs, perhaps it’s both.  It appears that we look forward to these hits coming around at this time of year, but by the end of the season, we hope we never hear them again.  According to The Harris Poll,

• Silent Night – both our #1 most beloved and our #8 most irritating (is it heresy to say that about a holiday song?)
• White Christmas – both #2 beloved and #4 irritating
• Jingle Bells – both #4 beloved and #1 irritating
• Little Drummer Boy - #5 beloved and #5 irritating

Which songs top your list of good and bad?

Data Snapshot

"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" is Americans' favorite animated TV show during holiday time. ---The Harris Poll, conducted online between November 2nd and 11th, 2009 among 2,303 U.S. adults ages 18+