Growing up in this day and age is harder than ever, for both tweens and parents.  I think that the transition from child to adult is even more difficult for girls, since there are so many unique pressures and hardships that we must endure while blossoming into womanhood.  As the mother of a two-year-old girl, I cringe at the thought of what lies ahead for my little baby, because I know there will be a lot of heartache and tears shed for various reasons.

My main goal for Riley is for her to be as happy as humanly possible and to have an extremely healthy dose of self-esteem.  That's why I was thrilled to learn about the Discovery Girls magazine and books which are designed to help girls ages 8-12 navigate the treacherous territory of adolescence.  Keep reading to learn more about what Discovery Girls has to offer!

I have to admit that before I received the products from Discovery Girl, I had never heard of this magazine before.  When I was a child, I remember poring through the pages of Tiger Beat, YM and even a little bit of Cosmopolitan here and there.  They all seemed so grown up to me.  I can remember vividly when I turned 9 or 10, my mother bought me a subscription to YM magazine, which stood for Young Miss.

This magazine was supposed to be for young girls or so my mother thought, until I read my first issue and came out of my room to ask my mother, "Hey mom, what does masterbation mean?"  I thought my mom was going to die right then and there and that's when mysteriously, my YM subscription ended.  :)

Young girls desperately need a reliable way to figure out what's going on with their bodies, their minds and their social lives without always having to go to their parents.  As much as I want Riley to come to me with every little question and problem she'll have, I also realize that I'm living in my own little fantasy world to believe that will ever really happen.

That's why I'm so happy that Discovery Girls magazine is around.  The first thing I loved about this magazine was the fact that they only use their own readers in the magazines...no super skinny or super beautiful models and celebrities allowed!  I think this can make a world of difference to a young girl's developing self-esteem.  Now your daughter will no longer compare themselves with the beauty and fashions worn by some of the world's most gorgeous and famous people, which can only help their fragile self-esteem.

Next, I noticed there weren't any advertisements for ultra exclusive clothing lines, super sexy perfumes or any other "adult-themed" products.  It always amazes me how products marketed to our youth have sex and seduction written all over them.  I like how Discovery Girls Magazine keeps the Lolita-type advertisements and articles out!

So what can your little girl look forward to?  Plenty of amazing content written and inspired by regular, normal, fun-loving tweens!  For instance, in the latest issue of Discovery Girls, there are articles about embarrassing moments, what to do now that you have braces, a great story about fashion around the world as well as how to tell if you might be ready for a bra and even a quiz about whether you're a saver or a spender.

Now these are the type of articles I would love my daughter to read by herself or with her friends, for they are all well-written and have a very positive focus.

I especially loved the four Fab Girls guides I received.  These books focused on specific troublesome issues that all girls face growing up at one time or another.  There was an endless wealth of information in these books which will serve to take some of the mystery out of those tough and trying times.

I am so happy to have discovered Discovery Girls for now Riley will have a fun, thoughtful and positively uplifting magazine to read when she becomes a tween.  Hopefully these magazines will help open the lines of communication between mother and daughter and make the turbulent teen waters a little smoother.

Disclosure:  I received a subscription to Discovery Girls Magazine, the Fab Girls book set and the Survival Guide Collector's Edition from Discovery Girls in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. This product review is based on my own personal experiences with this item and is completely honest and objective.