How to Support Your Daughter When She Dislikes Her Teacher: Tips for Parents

It's not uncommon for our daughters to come home early in the school year and share that they're not thrilled about a teacher.

This can be frustrating, especially when we're all hoping for a smooth start. Here are some ways we can support our daughters through this challenge:

Listen and Validate Her Feelings
Give her space to talk about how she's feeling without jumping to conclusions or judgments. Listen closely and show empathy. It’s okay for her to feel upset or frustrated, and acknowledging these feelings can make a big difference.

Understand the Root of the Issue
Gently ask questions to find out what's really going on. Is it a clash in personalities, a teaching style that doesn’t resonate, or a specific incident? If you can, try to observe a class or have a brief chat with the teacher to get a broader perspective.

Encourage Problem-Solving
Guide your daughter in pinpointing the exact issues she's facing. Together, brainstorm ways she might address these concerns. For minor issues, encourage her to approach the teacher directly in a respectful manner.

Foster a Positive Mindset
Challenge her to look for any positives in the situation. Maybe there’s something interesting in the class content or an opportunity to learn from a different teaching style. Encourage her to maintain respect and cooperation, even if she’s not a fan of the teacher personally.

Offer Extra Support
If she’s feeling overwhelmed academically, consider offering some extra homework help or finding a tutor if the teaching style just isn’t clicking. This can alleviate some of her stress and boost her confidence.

Collaborate with the School
If the situation doesn't improve, consider reaching out to the teacher or school administration. Approach these conversations with the goal of finding solutions together, rather than assigning blame.

Build Resilience
This is a great opportunity to talk about navigating difficult people and situations. Remind her that learning to work with different personalities is an important skill that will serve her well beyond this classroom.

Our goal is to support our daughters while helping them develop the skills to handle challenges gracefully. By approaching these situations thoughtfully, we can empower them to face difficulties with confidence and resilience.

To help you and your daughter manage this transition, here are four resources I’ve shared frequently this week with parents and kids, as well as two personal recommendations—a favorite ring that one of my clients uses when feeling anxious in social settings, and a sleep light my son swears by. 

For Teen Girls:

• Playing with Anxiety: Casey's Guide for Teens and Kids by Reid Wilson and Lynn Lyons
  Casey's story is an inspiring, funny, and relatable journey that shows teens how to face their fears and worries. Through her personal experiences with anxiety, she offers playful and practical tips for handling school stress, social discomfort, and everyday challenges. This book is a favorite of mine for helping girls build the confidence to face their anxieties head-on.

• The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook for Teens by Jennifer Shannon
  This workbook is packed with effective strategies from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), specifically designed to help teens navigate social anxiety. It offers realistic tools to manage anxiety in social settings, overcome perfectionism, and build stronger self-confidence.

For Parents:

• The Anxiety Audit by Lynn Lyons
  Sometimes, anxiety doesn’t look like we expect. It can show up in subtle ways, like over-scheduling, isolating, or constant worrying. This book breaks down those hidden patterns of anxiety and offers simple, everyday strategies to untangle the hold anxiety can have on both parents and kids.

• Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents by Reid Wilson and Lynn Lyons
  This book provides a fresh approach to tackling anxiety by encouraging kids to face their fears instead of avoiding them. With seven clear principles, it helps parents guide their children through anxious moments, fostering resilience and independence in the process.

I’m thrilled to welcome all the new members to The Brave Girl Project! It’s amazing to see our Brave Girl Tribe community grow, and I’m so grateful you’re a part of it.

If you’d like your 5th-8th grade daughter to experience what The Brave Girl Tribe is all about, click here to have her join as a guest! I will send you the Zoom link. Our call starts at 7 PM EST / 6 PM CST / 4 PM PST on most Sundays. Joining is easy, and turning on the camera is entirely optional. We hope to see her there!  I’m also available for a 30-minute chat to discuss how The Brave Girl Project can support both of you.

As the school year begins, one resource I recommend is my Worry Worksheet and accompanying video. This tool is filled with practical strategies to help manage anxiety. Download it now to get started!

If you haven’t already, be sure to explore the Tools/Resources Page for more free resources designed to empower you and your daughter.

Is your high school daughter in need of extra support?

Several parents have reached out, asking if I offer a high school group for their daughters.

We know that many of our Brave Girl Tribe members have moved beyond middle school and may now need additional support as they navigate the unique challenges of high school. That’s why we’re considering creating a bi-weekly membership group designed specifically for high school girls!

This group would provide a safe and supportive space for girls to connect, share experiences, and access resources on important topics, such as:

• Managing friendships and social dynamics
• Setting and achieving both academic and personal goals
• Building confidence 
• Handling school pressures and managing stress effectively
• Developing healthy relationships

I would love to hear your thoughts! This survey is just to gauge interest and see if there is a need for this type of high school membership group.Click here to join the interest list 

Warmly, Laura Hayes Founder of The Brave Girl Project Life Coach for Tween & Teen Girls www.TheBraveGirlProject.com [email protected] Instagram  Facebook YouTube   Pinterest