Raising a Daughter: Parents and the Awakening of a Healthy Woman

by Jeanne Elium, Don Elium

Society's confusing and often contradictory messages to girls and women make raising a daughter an especially daunting responsibility for any parent. Girls are born believing that they can do anything, but growing up they face new obstacles, as their bodies and social roles begin to change. In RAISING A DAUGHTER, Jeanne and Don Elium address these challenges and guide parents through each stage of a girl's development, from infancy through middle childhood, the teen years, and early adulthood. A bestseller since 1994, this newly revised parenting classic is indispensable for new and experienced parents alike. The Eliums offer a sensitive balance of insight and information for mothers and fathers who want to help their girls navigate within a culture that often seems determined to exploit them. More than just a practical exploration of what it means to have a daughter, RAISING A DAUGHTER is a compassionate study of what it means to come of age as a woman in today's world.

Genres: Parenting, Self Help, Nonfiction, Feminism

384 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1990

Reviews

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book! I learned about myself as a women, a wife, a teacher, and a possible mother.

[Shiloah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great for younger parents. I’m an experience mom of 9 girls and three granddaughters at this point. I guess I could have written this book.

[Anastasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read most of this book; it covers basic topics of how to raise an independent, thoughtful person amidst today's social pressures as well as chapters covering specific age groups. I've read up to age seven and skimmed the 8-17 year old and 18 -29 year old chapters, just for grins.
Most of the parenting books I read have common themes of helping kids learn to express themselves with words, create and protect personal boundaries, and to let them be themselves (as opposed to who you wanted or planned them to be). I read these for information as well as disinformation, as well as keeping basic prinicples fresh in my mind. There are no new takeaway messages for me in this book. Still, I feel I'm a better parent when I've got these principles in the foreground of my brain, especially when I am tired and/or crabby from lack of sleep. So - I read, and re-read, a lot of parenting books.

[Kellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most interesting thing about this book was that it argued that girls are focused on relationships, and that relationship building should guide our parenting decisions. They also advocate for a strong, "benevolent" authoritative style of parenting. Because of this, a lot of their parenting recommendations sounded really similar to attachment work and fit well with what we are doing already. The authors clearly support the Waldorf way of learning/teaching which is something I am not real familiar with, although the overall ideas behind their philosophy seem sound. I also liked that this book focused on ways to empower girls, encourage them to advocate for themselves, and to explore and pursue activities that are traditionally boys' domain while not diminishing the traditionally feminine qualities and interests either. Overall I liked it, and think it was a worthwhile read.

[Nicole Lovejoy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping this book would help out more with raising my daughter and things that may happen in the near future. My daughter was 1 when I read this and most of the book talked about teen girls and had a lot of personal stories. I was looking more for help along the way i guess you could say. This book is more for parents of teen daughters i would say.

[Elysian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good insight on raising girls in our society today. The book explores how to communicate with and understand girls (our society still tends to be male dominated), thereby ultimately empowering them.

[Fayren · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book to explain girls that I've read lately! For all of you out there with boys-they also wrote a very comprehensive "Raising A Son" by Jeanne & Don Elium. Every parent should have this book.

[Kathryn Major · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book specifically for those with girls.

[Alicia Zuto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a son but I found this book equally entertaining and informative. Even if I wasn't a parent it had so many interesting factors about the gender differences and how we can get them to connect the dots and meet each other in the middle. A lot of work went into the studies as well and I just found everything very interesting and like the way that the story was told by the authors which is Big to me. I recommend this book highly to anybody interested in the differences and similarities between the genders, anyone that is into psychology even if they're not a parent and parents as well of course.

[Carissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much that I can apply to my life.

[Eman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a thrift store find which just happened to align with my interest in being a good father for the girls I have taken in, and turned out to actually be really solid feminist reading. It claims to be written by both Don and Jeanne Elium, but I heard most of the words in my mind being recited by a woman as I was reading it. There is no reticence in talking about what the women in your life have had to go through as children and it's vital, by the book's own standards, to stay cognizant of what the world is like for women and girls in our society. Especially if you're going to be, or currently are a father to a future leader.

[Colleen Broce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been a fabulous resource in understanding the specific phases that our daughters go through and what we as parents can do to contribute positively to their developing physical, mental and emotional well-being.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I am modifying a lesson plan, becouse of something that I read in this book. Generally speaking, standard school curriculum rarely includes literature by women, offering very little role models on how to become a productive woman in today's society. It is a scary out there for girls...

[Ed Craven · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides overall suggestions for parenting a daughter as well as giving specific suggestions for various ages and stages of life. This book was the first parenting book I read and it gave me a good overall education on how to parent a daughter.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was alright; lots of anecdotal stories, but not a lot of substance. Very easy book to put down.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's good common sense and loaded with research. It's a bit daunting to read a summary on the challenges of being female in this society. This is why I want my daughter to take karate ;)

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

boring.

[Martha · Rating 2 out of 5]

After about 1/2 way through the book, had to check the year it was published. Felt it was too old fashioned. Enjoyed reading the little clips from people.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book...not necessarily my favorite parenting book, but it wasn't bad. More thoughts here: http://marcusandjenny.blogspot.com/20...