Little women on the web

Advertising
There's no doubt about it -- young girls like to shop and advertisers are responding to that. Most sites for girls are supported by a host of advertising for beauty products, teen magazines, cellphones and the like. Many even offer direct links to sites that sell the merchandise promoted. Some sites are entirely sponsored by a single company -- the producers of feminine hygiene products, for example -- which means that there is an emphasis on a particular brand, but also strong supporting material on the subject at hand.

May we suggest
Here are two girl sites we liked:

BeingGirl.ca – This site is tween-friendly, but still relevant for older teens. Hosted by Proctor and Gamble, makers of Tampax and Always, there is a strong focus on menstruation, including a Period Predictor to help you track your cycle and tons of information on pads and tampons. But you'll still find fun stuff and articles on a variety of serious subjects, too, such as hate and abusive relationships, which are sensitively dealt with.

gURL.com – Definitely not for tweens, but rather for a more mature teen who can handle topics such as self-mutilation and masturbation, this straight-up website is edgy, funky and offers no-holds-barred information. But don't assume it's promoting questionable behaviour just because of its frank nature. A graphic novel-type story about being sexually aroused has a protagonist who refuses to let go of her virginity.

Tip: Always encourage your daughter to come to you with any questions or with anything she'd like to discuss, based on things she has seen or read on the web, at school or from friends. Keep those lines of communication open.