October 23, 2016 Christian Parenting, Straight Talk

Straight Talk: Raising Girls To Be Women – Birth Through Elementary Years

Straight Talk: Raising Girls to Be Women

Presented by Family Pastor Dave Carl and Dr. Andi Thacker, Ph.D., LPC-S, NCC, RPT-S

There has never been an easy time to raise kids, but it seems harder today. Remember the nursery rhyme from your childhood: “What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice and everything nice; that’s what little girls are made of.” If only life were as simple as a little sugar and spice. Today’s girls are faced with a changing culture that defines girls differently. Today’s girls are defined by an entertainment and fashion industry that pushes them to grow up too fast. Age compression thrusts young girls into the adolescent experience well before they are psychologically ready. At one time, modesty was considered a virtue, but that seems forgotten in a world that sells padded bras to seven year olds.

There are other factors affecting our daughters. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 24 million children in America (one out of every three) live in homes without their biological father or a consistent fatherly influence. If a father does not show his daughter love, teach her how to be loved, tell her she’s pretty, put his arm around her, and give her attention, she will often look for affirmation elsewhere.

“A girl learns self-respect and trust from how her Dad treats her.”

—Pastor Chuck Swindoll

But this isn’t just about modesty or what stores sell. It’s not about sex or singleness or feminism. It’s about choices we make and boundaries we lay as parents as we raise them in a world filled with degradation and objectification.

In these discussions, Raising Girls to Be Women, Dr. Andi Thacker we will discuss topics including:

  • How to teach your daughter of her value, and that it is not based on her appearance alone
  • How to teach her about healthy self-esteem while not training her to be self-focused
  • How to be an affirming voice so she does not have to listen to all the clutter presented in our culture
  • How to, as a father, lead and teach her what to expect from the men in her life
  • How to lead her to be a strong, faithful, Godly woman

These sessions are about loving our daughters and leading them by example. It’s about going against what our culture says is normal and trying to live more like Jesus.

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Authors

  • Dave Carl

    Dave Carl is the Family Ministries Pastor at Stonebriar Community Church and is responsible for the ministry focusing on children birth through high school graduation and the parents who love them. With a ministry philosophy based on Luke 10:27, his primary focus is to give parents the skills to raise kids who truly love Jesus and want to serve others. Dave has a passion for ministering to families in crisis in our community. He has spent several years pouring into fathers and husbands and helping them learn that they need community, were designed to guard and protect, and that they really can be the spiritual leaders of their family.

    Dave and his wife of 30 plus years, Cathy, have two adult children and one in college and grandparents to three amazing children. They are completely in love with these new member of their family. Dave is an avid woodworker and loves to write. He sees all stories in the form of pictures, and he would love to connect with you!

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  • Dr. Andi Thacker

    As a professor in the Biblical counseling department at Dallas Theological Seminary, Dr. Thacker is passionate about teaching counseling students to integrate scripture and psychology and apply those concepts to real life counseling situations.

    In addition to her teaching responsibilities at DTS, Dr. Thacker maintains a small private practice in which she specializes with children and adolescents and supervises LPC-Interns. Dr. Thacker completed her training with a master’s degree in biblical counseling from DTS and a PhD in counselor education and supervision from the University of North Texas. She is a licensed professional counselor, a board approved supervisor, and holds multiple certifications in counseling. Most importantly, she is married to Chad and they have three children: Emerson, William, and Webb.

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