By Dannah Gresh, Founder of True Girl
Feeling the stress of raising tween girls? You’re not alone. A recent study published by Developmental Psychology finds that maternal depression is most common among mothers of middle school children¹. Parenting tweens, moms say, is harder than parenting a new infant.
What’s most worrisome to mothers? Many say it’s societies pressure to make their daughters grow up too fast, and the growing sexualization of girls². Related issues like boy craziness, social media and mean girls can leave a mom swirling in uncertainty. Is it ok to say “no?” How do you do it in a way that doesn’t harm her growing sense of confidence and value? Can you teach modesty without harming her body image?
Mom, I’ve got you covered!
What if I told you that you could be a better mom in 2 ½ hours? And what if I promised to equip you to feel confident about how to combat cultural pressures targeting your daughter? Read on to discover the most transforming 2 ½ hours you and your daughter will ever have when it comes to connecting and communicating.
But first let me tell you why it’s so important to talk about issues like body image and boys. Here’s the deal: the tween years are some of the most formative years in a person’s development. In Six Ways to Keep the Little in Your Girl, I wrote this:
“value formation -- concerning purity, family structure, sobriety, and other all too common teen issues -- does not occur during the teen years. These values are formed from the ages of 8 to 12.”
Researcher George Barna, in an attempt to wake parents up to the task of having critical and challenging conversations during the tween years, put it this way:
“What you believe by your thirteenth birthday is generally what you die believing.”
Guiding our girls through their tweens is a big job when we’re up against a monstrous culture targeting our girls with impossible beauty standards, over-sexualization, the normalization of mean girl behavior, and more at younger and more vulnerable ages. But there is one key influence playing a role in protecting your daughter’s heart: you. Studies show that parent-child connectedness is the number one risk reducer in our children’s susceptibility to the lies of culture.
That might feel overwhelming, but let me offer you two truths to encourage you for the tumultuous tween years.
- You are the mother God designed for your children. He knew your weakness as a mom before you did. He even knew your flaws before your mom’s pregnancy test developed! He made you her mom for a purpose and He does not make mistakes. He understands that we do, and He is walking along with you and your daughter through them. He sees something in you that's just right for her. Trust Him.
- God has given us a manual that tells us what values to instill into our children. As our kids are fumbling to build their worldviews during their tween years, directing them to God’s Word can lay the foundation for Godly values that will last throughout their lives. You can never go wrong getting your daughter into her Bible. It contains the Truth she needs to navigate this world.
So now, since I’ve reminded your mother’s heart just how important you are, you can put these two truths to use and become a better mom in just 2 1/2 hours. And even better: you’ll enjoy every minute of it! Picture this: a night out with your girl filled with irresistible fun and a thorough breakdown of the biblical truths you both need to know to live a life for Jesus in a world full of lies. The True Girl Pajama Party Tour is strategically structured to be a one-night experience to give you the tools you need to bond with your girl and teach her that she is a masterpiece created by God.
[1] http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/12/29/506590099/being-mom-to-a-middle-schooler-can-be-the-toughest-gig-of-all
[2] https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/305667/what-do-moms-of-tweens-worry-about-most.html
