What’s the difference between an eight-year-old girl and a 14-year-old? A 30% confidence drop, say researchers, who point out that boys don’t suffer from the same problem as a whole. So what’s the blueprint for keeping your daughter from clamming up in class discussions, shying away from new activities and being afraid of making new friends? The authors of The Confidence Code for Girls say we can help them by encouraging new experiences, showing them how we face our own fears, and calling them out on harsh and often false beliefs about themselves.