Guiding Your Daughter into Womanhood

Young girls seem to be maturing physically earlier than past generations. In fact, some counselors warn that if you haven’t discussed puberty and sexual development with your child by age 8 or 9, somebody else likely already has.

If that’s alarming to you, tune in to our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Guiding Your Daughter into Womanhood.” We’re equipping moms to prepare for and effectively discuss with their daughter all the physical, emotional, and spiritual developments that come with puberty – that important stage in a child’s life where the body begins to change in significant ways.

Specifically, we’re talking to Jenny Coffey and Robin Jones Gunn. Jenny is a marriage and family therapist and a member of our counseling team here at Focus on the Family. Robin is an author best known for her Christy Miller and Sierra Jenson series of young adult novels.

Jenny and Robin are sharing how moms can help their daughters prepare for and even celebrate their transition into adulthood, including these helpful concepts:

Teach your daughter about her amazing body. Compliment her unique features. Model acceptance and appreciation for your own body in front of your girls.
Teach her the value of privacy. A daughter needs to know that certain areas of her body are off-limits to others (except doctors, etc.). Teach her to defend and protect herself if her privacy is threatened or someone disrespects her body. Allow her the privacy of a closed door and time alone.
Be sensitive about what your daughter can handle. Avoid giving too much information. Instead, follow her lead and start an ongoing conversation where she can come back to you for more as needed.
Imprinting. How you respond to your daughter’s exposure to sexual topics will profoundly affect her development and view of her own sexuality. Model openness and positivity without shaming her.

Girls first learn how to appreciate their own appearance, abilities, and body image through their mothers. Mom, you have such a powerful influence, it’s imperative to be a consistent refuge and the safest person in your daughter’s life. We’ll show you how on your local radio station, online, on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, via Google Podcasts, or on our free phone app.

Robin Jones Gunn’s book Before Your Tween Daughter Becomes a Woman: A Mom’s Must-Have Guide is available for a gift of any amount, money that goes right back into ministry, providing hope and help to families just like yours.

And when you help Focus on the Family with a gift, your donation will be DOUBLED for TWICE the impact in helping others through this ministry. Our thanks to generous donors who’ve made that possible. Click here for more information or call 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).