Christmastime is here again, and its music is coming at us from every direction. Whether you love it or hate it, I am confident you’ll find these songs sung by women worthy of your attention. A little rock, a little soul, and some delightful spins on classics, this playlist shakes the bah humbugs from even the most determined holiday grouch. 10 Christmas Fabulous Songs Sung By Women 1) It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Diana Ross Born and raised in Detroit, Diana Ross rose to fame as the lead singer for the Supremes (one of the world’s best-selling girl groups of all time). Ross is the only female artist to have number one singles as a solo artist; as the other half of a duet (Lionel Richie); as a member of a trio; and, as an ensemble member. Watch her perform It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year with a full orchestra. 2) Go Tell It On The Mountain: Dolly Parton Oh Dolly, how we love you. A lot of folks have been talking about the new podcast Dolly Parton’s America from NPR (and rightly so). However, look no further than this video of Dolly performing Go Tell It On The Mountain to grasp the power of her voice. 3) One More Sleep: Leona Lewis Singer, songwriter and actress Leona Lewis recorded this tune in 2013; it peaked at number three on UK charts. With this chart entry, Lewis became the first British female solo artist to reach the top five with eight …

Last month an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association made me stop in my tracks. It revealed one in 16 women said they were raped by force or coercion the first time they had sexual intercourse. As a parent of girls, I almost felt paralyzed as to what action I should take knowing this information. Thankfully I have the good fortune of being friends with Dr. Shanna Garza who specializes in adolescent medicine at the Girls to Women Health and Wellness practice in Dallas. Dr. Garza wrote the following guest post for Girls That Create about this important topic.  Talking Openly With Your Teenage Daughter About Sex Conversations with your teenage daughter about sexuality are built on years of open communication and emotional closeness. It’s important to start these discussions at younger ages and speak frankly about the physical mechanics of sex, use anatomically correct terms for genitals and talk about the physiology of conception. Before puberty starts, I recommend reviewing what changes girls’ bodies and minds will undergo. I’ve used the book The Care and Keeping of You 1 and The Care and Keeping of You 2: The Body Book for Older Girls, from American Girl with my own daughter and routinely recommend it to my patients. The Decision It’s beneficial for teens to consider the decision to have sex way before they put themselves in situations where it might happen. As with many potentially risky behaviors, I recommend teenagers consider if their actions reflect their values and who they want to be. We …

Ever since reading the The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, I always found the idea that a simple wardrobe could be an entryway to another world fascinating. Imagine my delight when my oldest daughter and I saw a travel show snippet about a fantastical slide whose entry point began in a laundry room dryer. At the bottom of that slide was a world unlike any we’d ever seen. The woman who slid down shared she was at Meow Wolf, located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. My daughter looked at me and said with 100 percent assurance, “We are SO going there”. This month her wish came true. What Exactly is Meow Wolf? First, you need to understand the Santa Fe location is just one chapter in the Meow Wolf story. Meow Wolf started in 2008 as a small collective of artists who could not find their way into the “traditional” art world. At their very first meeting everyone put two words into a hat. They then picked two random words out and got “Meow Wolf.” The group’s goal was to create immersive, multimedia experiences that transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of storytelling. Through many ups and downs (well captured in the documentary Meow Wolf: Origin Story), these determined artists brought several brilliant exhibitions to life on their own terms. Then, with the help of longtime Santa Fe resident George R.R. Martin, Meow Wolf took over a vacant former bowling alley, transforming it into a multi-use art complex. House of Eternal Return  Today Meow Wolf Santa Fe …

If you’re a fan of the classic novel Little Women, 2019 is a very good year. Writer-director Greta Gerwig is returning to the big screen with her adaption of the beloved coming-of-age story. We’ll have to wait till December for the film, but a new cookbook lets readers bring the world of Little Women to their tables. Food writer and editor Wini Moranville has put together 50 easy-to-make recipes, all updated for the modern kitchen. The Little Women Cookbook: Tempting Recipes from the March Sisters and Their Friends and Family contains recipes inspired by specific dishes mentioned among the novel’s pages. These include Buckwheat Pancakes, Milk-Toast, Apple Orchard Chicken, Gingerbread, and more. There are also full-color photos, fun and uplifting quotes from Little Women, and anecdotes about Louisa May Alcott (the novel’s author). Harvard Common Press, publisher of the cookbook, was kind enough to share two recipes straight from the pages with Girls That Create readers: A Better Omelet for Marmee Makes 1 omelet (repeat the recipe for as many omelets as you would like to make) The boiled tea was very bitter, the omelet was scorched, and the biscuits speckled with saleratus, but Mrs. March received her repast with thanks and laughed heartily over it after Jo was gone. One morning in June, bored after a few long days of too much time on their hands, Meg and Jo make breakfast for their mother. Sadly, things don’t go quite as they might have hoped for in the kitchen. Follow this foolproof recipe, however, and you’ll …

It was serendipitous a review copy of Sarah Centrella’s book #futureboards: Learn How to Create a Vision Board to Get Exactly the Life You Want came to my mailbox. A few days earlier I had been blown away by the exhibit “Dior: From Paris to the World” at the Dallas Museum of Art. From a cathedral-like room packed with remarkable designs to areas filled with the works of Dior himself, imagination ran abundant throughout the exhibit. Several pieces in particular caught my eye…the mood boards by current Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri. Mood boards (aka vision boards) let designers establish a theme for their lines with visual details and inspirations. In the same mindset, Centrella asks readers of her book to take the concept further with what she dubs #futureboards. She defines them as a physical board (proudly displayed) that has beautiful photographs intentionally chosen to visually show the creator’s future dream life. #futureboards What I appreciate most about Centrella’s concept is #futureboards focus on experiences and not things. Experiences matter because, as Centrella writes, “they teach you to focus on what brings you happiness and joy. When you are building your life around experiences, you are training your mind to seek happiness and receive joy. It’s one of the fastest ways for you to tap into a sensation of happiness at any given moment, by thinking of an experience you want to live. When you feel that happiness in your mind, you will soon manifest it in real life.” The book is divided into three parts: Exercises …

It’s back-to-school shopping time, which means things could be said in the dressing room that will make your blood run cold. No, not expletive language, but your daughter harshly criticizing her body. Witnessing a child unleash physical self-deprecation will break any parent’s heart. How can you help your girl have a healthy body image?  It’s no secret consistently putting down one’s appearance harms social, physical, and emotional growth. What’s a caregiver to do in a world filled to the brim with doctored “perfect” images? For starters, understand that self-esteem and body image are two separate things. Self-esteem is how we think and feel about ourselves as a total package. Body image is how we think and feel about our body; it’s just one piece of self-esteem. Five Steps: How to Help Your Girl Have a Healthy Body Image 1. Know that how you personally view your body plays a role in how children see theirs Do you stand in front of the mirror and nitpick everything you don’t like about your body? Your child will think she should do the same…that this behavior is part of growing up. Do not body bash yourself or make negative statements about the weight and body size of others (including celebrities). In addition, tell your daughter what you love most about your body. Express gratitude for the things it makes possible. 2. Have a blunt talk about media’s depiction of girls and women, how advertising works, and the truth about altered images A “perfect” body does not exist. Neither do magical products …

10 powerful quotes from women in the arts are a great antidote to a creative rut. Here is a collection of inspiring words by several women artists. Consider it a thought-provoking pep talk. Trust me; these women know what they’re talking about, and their wisdom deserves to be shared! 10 Powerful Quotes From Women in Arts  “I love creation more than life, and I must express myself before disappearing.” ~Sonia Delaunay, multi-disciplinary abstract artist “The world is full of fictional characters looking for their stories.” ~Diane Arbus, photographer “Every time I have had a problem, I have confronted it with the ax of art.” ~Yayoi Kusama, contemporary artist “The only thing I have learned is to find strength in yourself. No one can help you, no one can do anything for you, you have to do the work yourself.” ~Marina Abramovic, performance artist “Dreamers are those who have achieved in love and life, because it is a dream that got them there.” ~Cindy Sherman, artist photographic self-portraits “I try every time for a project to have a natural ending. As much as I can, I try to follow the story and to give it its own end.” ~Sophie Calle, writer, photographer, installation artist “That’s what I’m interested in: the space in between, the moment of imagining what is possible and yet not knowing what that is.” ~Julie Mehretu, contemporary visual artist “Inhale possibility, exhale creativity.” ~Laura Jaworski, author and artist “We have to laugh. Because laughter, we already know, is the first evidence of freedom.” ~Rosario …

Sometimes we love the Internet…sometimes we hate it. Regardless of our feelings, all of us need to be having multiple talks with our girls about Internet safety. Luckily many resources exist, including Google’s “Be Internet Awesome” curriculum. Its purpose is to help families develop online healthy habits through five key areas: Smart: Share With Care Alert: Don’t Fall for Fake Strong: Secure Your Secrets Kind: It’s Cool to Be Kind Brave: When in Doubt, Talk it Out Below are several pieces of “Be Internet Awesome” and other resources to aid you with raising well-informed and empowered Internet users. Google’s Family Guide and Tips  Packed with valuable stuff, the Family Guide and Tips (using the five areas mentioned above) encourages family discussion, learning, and thinking about maneuvering the online world together. Download the Family Guide Download Tips Google’s Wellbeing Family Guide Maintaining a balanced screen life can be hard. Past generations simply switched off their televisions. Today, disconnecting means parents and children are prioritizing the quality of time they spend together. The Digital Wellbeing Family Guide sparks dialogue about screens and what it means to balance online time with the physical world. Download the Digital Wellbeing Family Guide LifeKit Podcasts Internet and Screens Recently NPR produced a series of LifeKit podcasts about kids and screen time. Doctors and experts share science-backed advice with host Anya Kamenetz in these three excellent episodes: Can Screens Help Your Child’s Brain? 4 Tips To Get The Most From Kids’ Media 5 Strategies For Coping With Screen-Obsessed Kids Parents, Check Your Own …

With every political or social movement, a specific accessory emerges. Often fastened to jackets, blouses, bags, and even shoes, I am, of course, talking about buttons. These adornments have been part of the United States scenery since the country’s beginning. During the first presidential inauguration, supporters of George Washington wore copper buttons with his initials in the center. A chain surrounding the button’s rim had links representing each of the original thirteen states. Just a few words or simple image can convey a powerful message. Supporters of the woman suffrage movement wore buttons to express their belief that women deserved the right to vote. When 168 women suffragists were released from jail in 1917 for picketing the White House, they each received a Jailed for Freedom pin. Madeleine Albright during her tenure as Secretary of State famously wore pins to express opinions when meeting with members of government at home and abroad. On good days she wore flowers or butterflies; on bad days bugs and carnivorous animals. How to Make Your Own Powerful Button Sit down with the girl(s) in your life and create your own buttons. Purchase a kit of snap together craft buttons. Get out markers, pens, crayons, scissors and a couple of pieces of cardstock. Discuss the details chosen for the designs (colors, images, wording, placement). What messages do you each hope the buttons communicate? What are the meanings behind the chosen symbols? Turn your drawings into memorable button keepsakes.  Resources About Powerful Buttons The Busy Beaver Button Museum has put together an …

Books based on real people pack an emotional punch. Not only do nonfiction stories help girls by teaching history and allowing them to see the world from different viewpoints, they provide role models and inspiration. My oldest recently came across the story of Virginia Hall in the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. She’s quite taken with the decorated American spy who thwarted the Nazis during World War II (I’m confident there’s a Virginia costume in our future). Girls need to have exposure to diverse people who have pursued dreams and overcome adversity. Through nonfiction stories they learn they’re not alone in their feelings and that others who came before them discovered ways to cope and respond to hardships. Luckily, we live in an age where there are as many tales as there are children’s interests. Is your girl concerned about the earth? Tell her about Rachel Carson, an environmentalist who wrote the book Silent Spring. Does she worry about making her voice heard? Suggest she explore the world of Sojourner Truth. Reading real stories encourages self-reflection, empathy, emotional intelligence, and offers a front seat to observing life lessons. They’re a win-win for anyone wanting to boost a child’s reading list. Activities To Do With Girls Have your child write on a sticky note the names of the people they’re reading about. Arrange the names in chronological order, along with the years the people lived. Take time to sit down with your child; ask her to share the stories she is reading and what she likes …