Help them build supportive connections by taking part in extracurricular activities

“At Girls on the Run, we believe it’s important to nurture our physical, emotional and spiritual health for full body wellness,” Kukowski says. Teach your kids to build relationships with people who will help them be their best. Take advantage of meet the teacher night, open house and extracurricular activities to foster these kinds of relationships.

Not only do these activities help build supportive connections, but these activities “can jumpstart a positive attitude about school by promoting confidence and optimism—helping them feel connected,” Kukowski says.

One unique after school program is Kukowski’s organization, Girls on the Run. It’s a 10-week program that girls in third through eighth grade attend twice a week for 90 minutes. The program focuses on personal development, making connections with others and how they connect with and shape the world at large, all while training for a 5K. “What’s neat about the program is that they’re never out there running just to run,” Kukowski says. “They’re always running using an activity that reinforces the lesson for that day…They’re always using their minds to reflect on the lesson for the day.”