There is so much research out there about the importance of a father and the special impact he has on his daughter. Girls who have strong, supportive and affection father figures are most likely to avoid having sex in the teenage years, for example. There is that old saying that a woman marries someone who reminds her of her father. In many cases this is obviously true, but in other cases, the similarity between a father and a husband may be subtle. There are many different ways of parenting today. Most modern fathers are very involved in their children’s lives, … Continue reading →
Any dad, but especially single dads are struck with a resounding panic when they hear these words from their little girl’s mouths. Unless you have a natural ability for the styling of hair, you will panic too. This and other aspects of femininity pop up quite often when you are raising a daughter. The same concept applies when a mom raises a son single-handedly as well. Let’s face it, males and females are the same, generally speaking, but when you get down to the nature of the matter, most males and females reflect quite noticeable differences in their persona. Children, … Continue reading →
Would you take parenting advice from Tim McGraw? The award-winning country crooner (turned fashion designer) and father of three girls is hoping you’ll part with $20 to read his take on how to parent daughters. McGraw’s new children’s book titled, “My Little Girl,” hits bookshelves this week. The story details the relationship between a cowboy-ish dad and his daughter who spend the entire day together (with their dog) doing nothing in particular… on purpose. According to McGraw, that’s the message he wants to send home to parents: You can have an extraordinary day with your daughters doing ordinary things. “As … Continue reading →
We read in the Book of Mormon about the two thousand stripling warriors, the young men who did not fear death because of the deep faith they had in the Lord and His sovereign power. These are the boys called the Sons of Helaman, who told their leader that they knew the love of the Lord because their mothers had taught them. They were willing to serve and to be obedient, even unto death, because of the faith their mothers demonstrated to them. My daughter attended Girls’ Camp for the first time this year, and her leaders chose a theme … Continue reading →
Okay. I need to vent. I was actually asked this question by a live person the other day, when I shared that I had three children, two daughters and a son, I was asked whether I liked parenting the girls or my son better. After staring blankly and processing the question, I was able to answer with what I would like to think was a little grace and trying to hide any scorn or judgment in my voice. I just explained that I love and adore all my children and I didn’t “want” any particular genders and feel like they … Continue reading →
I not the parent of twins, but have three very separate children all a little more than a year apart. My two daughters are not quite fifteen months apart and when they were younger, people tended to assume the two of them were twins. Age, individuality and the fact that there is more than 6 inches and very different body types that separate them has taken care of that—but at the ages of 17 and nearly 18, there are still those people who try to treat them like two-of-a-kind. They are neither of them very happy about it either… My … Continue reading →
A few years back I got the weirdest call one afternoon. A girl (I could tell she was young, and found out later she was 16) called and asked if Wayne Pryor was home. I told her he wasn’t but asked if she wanted to leave a message. She paused for a long time before asking, “Is this his wife?” “Yes.” Another pause, which caused a ripple of concern. Something about her hesitation seemed odd. “How long have you been married?” Okay, at this point a bunch of scenarios started running through my mind, and none of them were happy … Continue reading →
So, what did you get for Mother’s Day? I got three paper crowns, a picture of my son playing in nursery (from his nursery teachers) a back rub (it doesn’t get any better than that) and a really nice nap (okay, that was pretty good too.) And my mom gave me a gift book called “Mothers and Daughters: More Than 150 Heartwarming Quotes, Poems, and Anecdotes” compiled by Shelley Klein. The author has gone through volumes of journals, novels, letters, and interviews to pull out quotes from women (and a few men) throughout the last two centuries who have had … Continue reading →
The American Girl Place in New York is a Mecca of female adolescent wonder and commerce. Each day, thousands of starry eyed young ladies pass through the heavy revolving doors on 49th St and 5th Avenue and enter a world that many of them have only dreamed existed. Three floors stocked full of American Girl dolls! If you have a daughter or little girl in your life, American Girl has taken the steps to manufacture a doll that is an 18-inch look-a-like, with their “Just Like Me” series. For younger kids, such as our daughter, American Girl offers a line … Continue reading →
My daughter and I are too much alike and too different for our own goods, and we lock horns more and more often the closer she gets to puberty. I understand this is normal, but it doesn’t make it any easier and it doesn’t provide those elusive answers we all seek when it comes to raising our children. While at the bookstore one day a few years ago, I happened upon this book, and it touched my heart. I bought it for my daughter, hoping that it would speak to her in ways that I’m sometimes not able, and she … Continue reading →
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