Girl Talk: Nurturing Your Daughter’s Heart
My oldest daughter is officially a middle schooler. Don’t ask me how this happened—I probably blinked or something! I have so enjoyed raising her and getting to know her. Honestly, I think that last part is almost more important than the first right now (almost!).
One way I actively get to know my daughter and nurture her heart is through what we call our GIRL TALK. About once a week, my husband takes the little kids so that she and I can have an hour or so of alone time. Sometimes we go somewhere, but other times—like this week—he just takes the two littlest outside to play while she and I sit on the couch and chat.
I usually start with a simple, “So, what’s on your mind?” or “Hey, I noticed you _______ (insert just about anything here—hit the neighbor kid, yelled at your brother, stomped away when dad was talking to you… you get the idea). What was going on there? Do you want to talk about it?”
Our conversations often get silly, full of giggles, but sometimes they get deep. There have even been tears—tears of relief, understanding, or just processing big emotions. We always start or end our time in prayer, asking God to guide our hearts and give us wisdom.
Lately, I’ve learned that she’s feeling pretty nervous about the changes her body is going to go through with puberty. I remember how overwhelming that was for me. I shot up to being the tallest kid in my class (boys included!) in fourth grade, and suddenly I felt like a total freak. I still feel that way sometimes when I tower over people around me—I just want to be a tiny Polly Pocket with delicate fairy wings!
It’s natural for girls to feel nervous about these changes, and I want to answer her questions in a way that eases her worries, glorifies God, and explains why He designed her body the way He did.
We are working through the book The Body Book (The Lily Series). It has been so helpful! It answers questions about puberty in an age-appropriate way without overemphasizing topics like sex. This book has truly been a game changer.
Some even call it the Christian version of The Care & Keeping of You by American Girl. We haven’t read that one, but we’ve loved other American Girl books, so I’m sure it’s great too!
My daughter constantly carries this book around and reads it every chance she gets. As a mom, that feels like a huge win!
Now, I don’t fully agree with every single word in the book, but honestly, there have only been a couple of lines that made me pause. Overall, it’s been a wonderful resource.
If you’re a mom to a girl, I highly recommend The Body Book—it’s a great tool to guide conversations, nurture her heart, and help her navigate the changes ahead with confidence and faith.
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