Raising God’s Girl is an insightful parenting book, written by Rich and Mary Lou Graham. I really like how the book emphasizes that girls are “God’s girls,” and that they can revel in the knowledge that they are children of God. I also like how the book highlights stories about the Graham’s four daughters, showing how their family handles various parenting situations. The book talks about an assortment of parenting topics, such as encouraging your daughter, helping her develop friendships, protecting her, and helping her walk through life’s disappointments. I personally would not recommend some of the books listed on their “Recommended Resources,” but I do like this book itself.

One of my favorite things about the book was that the Grahams repeatedly narrated positive vs. negative conversations with your daughter. In the chapter, “Stay Away From My Girl!’ they show the dialogue of a scenario in which the daughter tells her dad that she’s seeing a movie with friends, and after his nonchalant response, she thinks, “Dad doesn’t care where I’m going as long as I’m with my youth group.” In the second, positive scenario, her dad shows a more caring attitude about her whereabouts, and the takeaway message for the daughter is, “My Dad wants to help me make wise choices about what I let into my heart and mind.” Other parts of the book that I enjoyed were the sections assessing whether you’re a passive parent, looking at your daughter through God’s eyes, and preparing your daughter for the world.

You can read more about Raising God’s Girl here.