According to the advanced Learners Dictionary, Teenage is a state that describes a person who falls between the ages of thirteen and nineteen (13 – 19) years. At this stage, a girl experiences some changes on her physical body and her emotions. She begins to grow hair in her armpits and pubic area, menstruates and her breasts start getting bigger, etc. Their mood also swings rapidly in extreme variations such that they can go from being extremely happy to being sad in a snap of a finger.

Mentally, they begin to form judgments by taking decisions that stem from their crave for independence which ultimately culminate into a sense of self and also build their social circles. They express independence through their choices in music, fashion and other activities. Most times, these choices vary from those of parents and it results to a literal tug. For some parents, this phase is quite challenging and they term their daughter as being difficult. The image they have of their ward is of slamming doors, yells, cries and one who gets into fights often with parents and/or siblings. 

It is quite unfortunate today that some parents ignore their responsibility to their daughters and would rather spend most of their time chatting, drinking etc. A female child exposed to such a situation suffers deficiency in parental love, care and training, which results to indiscipline. Some parents that are concerned are even too harsh with their daughters which in turn strain the parent-daughter relationship. 

teen girls learn from examples set by their parents. As such parents should walk their talk and not talk alone. A mother who goes about drinking alcohol cannot stand to correct a girl who is also doing same. Without a good example, a teenage girl will go astray.

Parenting teen girls require parents to find balance between setting limits and allowing them to create their own path even if it means sometimes letting them experience failure. In setting limits, they can sit down with their daughters and find appropriate punishment when they violate rules they set together. For instance, they can set the appropriate time they expect their daughter to come home when they go out to visit friends. Failure to return at the stipulated time may result to them being grounded for a while. In making their daughters a little independent, parents need to give certain room for freedom like allowing their daughters to learn a new skill of their choice etc.

Most importantly, teen girls learn from examples set by their parents. As such parents should walk their talk and not talk alone. A mother who goes about drinking alcohol cannot stand to correct a girl who is also doing same. Without a good example, a teenage girl will go astray.

The social pressure experienced by a teenage girl from her peers and the exposure to movies, magazines, internet, books etc. makes her more vulnerable to abuse. This gets worse if she is ignorant of the physiological and psychological changes taking place within her. This underscores the need for her to be guided appropriately by her parents. Close confidential parent-child relationship is key at this stage. Sex education is no longer to be hidden from the girl child or regarded as a taboo. 

To give such an education, communication cannot be over emphasized. It is more advisable to let that conversation be as open as possible, no need to put the girl in a panel-like kind of situation. Let her ask questions freely. This can also apply to other issues like alcohol, drugs etc. If the parents hide it from her, she might pretend to be ignorant about it, but may put to practice aspects of the information gathered from the media and peers.

Guarding and guiding a girl child is good. However, a girl who is always ordered to stay indoors for protection from friends especially males, might one day seize an opportunity to taste how it feels to be outside there with male friends and God knows what will happen afterwards. 

It is important to highlight here that the teenage stage is very confusing for the girl child; as such parents must take praying for her very seriously in addition to guarding and guiding her. All these should be done in love. Parents who are impatient and harsh will only strain the daughter-parent relationship. Parents need to find innovative ways of bonding with their daughters so as to build a strong support system for them. Doing this will not only guide them but help them thrive through the teenage stage.