Jenn Faulk

Every once in a while, I’ll read a book that I know I’ll be referencing again and again for years to come. The information contained in these books is so helpful, so insightful, and so new that I find myself thinking on it long after I’ve finished reading. Bringing Up Girls by Dr. James Dobson is one of those books. I’ve long known about his book, Bringing Up Boys, and was so very excited to see that he wrote a similar book for parents of girls. And wow — what a great, eye-opening resource it is! Dr. Dobson writes openly about girls, our culture, and our role as parents. He goes into great detail about how girls are so psychologically and behaviorally different than boys and emphasizes again and again the extreme importance of fathers in the lives of girls. Perhaps because I had a wonderful father I never realized just how important dads are for the emotional maturity of their daughters, but again and again, Dr. Dobson challenged fathers to be there for their girls. He also writes about the issues of purity, beauty in our culture, and the pressures that girls face in today’s world. It was a sobering read at times, learning about what today’s average girl thinks of herself and is up against, but I came away encouraged by simply better understanding the challenges that lay ahead. Dr. Dobson gives great advice on how to help navigate our daughters towards maturity and godliness. As the mother of young girls, I found this book very helpful. I would recommend it to others. Many thanks to Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are mine entirely.