Raising Girls: Why Girls Are Different--and How to Help Them Grow up Happy and Strong

by Gisela Preuschoff

Daughters face unique developmental challenges that parents must understand to help their girls mature and thrive in today's world. RAISING GIRLS provides parents with concrete guidelines, delivered in a distilled and easy-to-read style, for approaching their daughters' upbringing. Author, psychologist, and family therapist Gisela Preuschoff contributes her own trials and errors as a mother in addition to the wisdom attained from decades of professional experience of counseling families. She explains the key emotional and physical aspects of girls' development and details ways to form a close parent-daughter bond. Discussions also include social conditioning, family dynamics, peer relationships, communication styles, self-esteem, and education issues relevant to each stage in a girl's life, from toddler to teen to young woman. RAISING GIRLS will teach parents how to get to know their daughters better, encourage their special talents, and help them live healthy, happy lives.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Education

224 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2005

Reviews

[Sassy Cupcakes]

Read the book Raising Boys instead, even if you only have daughters. That book is great and full of interesting insights into how children grow and develop and what their needs are over time. This one is one woman telling the rest of the world that if they dare let their daughter watch tv or eat a chocolate bar her life will be ruined and they are the worst parents in the world. I honestly didn't find anything helpful in this judgmental pile of crap.

[Jroc]

Didn't like this book at all. Most of the time I was thinking to myself "that's your opinion, not mine". Didn't get anything out of reading this. Would not recommend to anyone.

[Patrice]

Wow, this is quite possibly the worst parenting book I have read, and I've read a lot. About a quarter of the way in I realized how horrible it was and just skimmed the rest, and really couldn't stand it. Very anecdotal, no real cohesive message, and pushing her personal agenda. Ugh.

[Alee Hofman]

Overall great book. There were a few points in which seemed entirely outdated, but with the book being written in 2006, I can understand that. This helped me to see the psychology behind not only girls, but boys as well, and learn to appreciate the differences. Understanding = empathy.

[Geysa]

I found this book somewhat informative, but basic.

[Emma Mills]

Pretty basic. Raising boys was much better.

[Ruth Godwin]

A resource I will keep handy as my daughter ages

[Mette]

This is not a good book to read for any first time parents. It is one persons very personal opinion of the world, children and parenting rather than a well-founded scientifically based work on which to make your own informed decision. The book is poor in source references, and I have e.g. not been able to find any research to back up the authors claim that human females skin is ten times more sensitive to touch than males. There are several points like this throughout the book. Also, the suggestion to go with your daughter to collect herbs to treat period pains instead of using traditional medicine is a typical example of the authors advice style, and unless this is completely up your line of thinking this will not be a book for you. (Also, if you have a daughter with pain so severe she faints or gets fever this might be a pretty bad suggestion). I never throw out books, even if I really dislike them, but this one goes in the bin: I really don't want a first timer to take this as the gospel.

[Andrew]

While this book is very much one author's perspective on effective parenting, it contains many useful prompts for conversation and exploration of one's own beliefs and values. From reading this I have developed a better understanding about myself as a parent, and gained a different perspective on my daughters.

[Mary]

As with all parenting manuals, how you parent and what you believe in determines what you take away from any parenting books. I found it interesting, with some good ideas and I shall use the bits that I agree with. In parts it also reinforces that what I'm doing is right for us.

[Arhewin]

good book to learn about little girls and the reason behind their action and reaction.

[Emma Ward]

I acutally pick this book up time and time again, just to look up different chapters that are relevant at the time. Love it, makes me laugh, makes me cry.

[✿ ♥ Heather ♥ ✿]

Thought I'd check out Chris's book seeing as I'm now a Step Mum :) Pretty good book.

[Fiona Gregory]

This is definitely a book to pick and choose what you need agree with - as there is a lot of personal opinions of the author as opposed to researched advice. Read with a highlighter pen.

[Dawn]

Pretentious and preachy. Opinionated. Very alternative life-style, and dismissive of other points of view.

Not for me.

[Marina Winkler]

This has helped me prepare for the years ahead in my daughter's development.

[Adrian]

The blurb on the back says it offers "practical ways" to help your daughter grow but instead you get a lot of unhelpful psychobabble. Definately a disappointing book.

[Cate]

loved this, found the author's voice gentle and easy, as though she was in conversation. Wise and thought-provoking.

[Riverina Regional Library]

Members of Riverina Regional Library reserve your copy now

[Bec Matheson]

Ok. Some interesting stuff. Mostly common sense or extra... And dated.

[Ren Ata]

...didn't like it.

[Mike]

Absolutely terrible book. Do not read.