Chapter 1: The Wonderful World of Girls
1. What questions do you have about raising your daughter?
2. What aspects of raising a girl worry you the most? In what ways have
you already begun to address these concerns?
3. Why do you think it is so important to recognize the differences
between raising boys and raising girls? If you have both sons and
daughters, what do you perceive to be the most significant differences
between them?
4. Why is it important that parents raise their daughters purposefully—
building into them certain qualities and traits of character—rather
than simply overseeing their growth and development? What are the
possible outcomes of these two parenting styles?
5. Dr. Dobson writes that parents should help their children navigate
the cultural minefields that lie in their paths. Describe some the
cultural issues and/or obstacles that your daughter will have to face.
Of these, which issues concern you the most? How do you currently
address these issues with your daughter?

Chapter 2: Girls in Peril
1. How can you pray that your daughter(s) will be protected from the
increasingly violent, hypersexualized, and spiritually impoverished
cultural influences that may try to sway her?
2. Dr. Dobson explains the concept of “age compression,” in which
Barbies and other dress-up dolls are being marketed to increasingly
younger girls (p.10). What other examples can you give of situations
where you feel that young girls are being forced to grow up too soon?

Chapter 3: The Fair Sex
1. Dr. Dobson cites a survey he conducted in which over 5,000
women were asked to rank the ten most common sources of
depression (p.15–16). Were you surprised that over 50 percent
of women ranked self-esteem as the most frequent source of
depression and 80 percent ranked it one of the top five sources
of depression? Why or why not?
2. Do you agree that nearly everything a woman does in her adult life
is motivated by a longing to be delighted in, to be beautiful, and
to be irreplaceable? Why or why not?
3. Do you believe that little girls are fueled by the question, “Am I
lovely?” If so, what evidence of this can you see in your daughter(s)?
Reflect on your own childhood. To what extent were your behaviors,
thoughts, or feelings driven by this question?

Chapter 4: Why She Is Who She Is
1. What ideas about girls and boys were promoted by the 1970s
“unisex” movement?
2. What were some of the societal effects of this movement?
3. What new information did you learn in this chapter about the
neurological differences between girls and boys? How does this
information refute the “unisex” movement?

Chapter 5: Teaching Girls to Be Ladies
1. What does it mean to teach your little girl to be a lady?
2. What is the relationship between manners and morals? How might
manners instilled in a child at an early age lead to strong character
in the future?
3. How can parents serve as role models for practicing good manners?
Do you see any of your positive or negative behaviors rubbing off
on your little girl?
4. Dr. Dobson lists several “social graces” that all children should be
taught. Which of these do you believe are most important for little
girls?
5. Consider the alternative viewpoint which holds that it is
undesirable for a girl to be feminine in the traditional sense. Why
is it important to understand that femaleness is not synonymous
with weakness?
6. What does Dr. Dobson mean when he says, “Women hold the keys
to masculine behavior” (p.48)?

Chapter 6: Embarrassing the Angels
1. Share your thoughts on Peggy Noonan’s article “Embarrassing the
Angels Or, That’s No Way to Treat a Lady.” Have you had similar
experiences in which you saw how our culture assaults the dignity
of women?
2. What do crudity and loss of dignity in the culture mean for girls?
What are some ways you can help your daughter keep her dignity
intact?

Chapter 7: Girls and Their Mothers
1. If you have both sons and daughters, how does being a mother
to girls differ from being a mother to boys?
2. In what ways do mothers play a role in the “critical periods” of their
daughters’ life? Have you seen the effects of your early interactions
with your daughter on her later development?
3. How is maternal attachment linked directly to physical and mental
wellness?
4. What is the father’s role in the attachment phenomenon that
Dr. Dobson describes?
5. Do you think your parents spent enough time with you when you
were a child? Why or why not?
6. Dr. Dobson presents statistics regarding both stay-at-home moms
and moms who work outside the home. Whose perspective do you
identify with most—the mom who stays at home or the mom who
works outside the home?
7. What are some of the benefits of having a mother who invests her
time at home raising her children? What are some practical ways
working mothers can also invest in their families?
8. One of the errors a mother can make is assuming that she needs
to be her daughter’s best friend. How does this parenting style hurt
both the child and the parent? What do you observe about daughters
who are raised by such mothers?
9. Mothers, share your experience in trying to balance love and affection
with discipline and firm leadership.

Chapter 8: Young Women Talk about Their Fathers
1. How does being a father to girls differ from being a father to boys?
2. What can fathers learn from the stories shared by the girls on
Dr. Dobson’s panel?
3. In what ways does a girl’s sense of self-worth depend on her
relationship with her father? Why do you think fathers play such
a pivotal role in how a girl views herself?
4. What are some practical ways fathers can be involved in the lives
of their young daughters? of their teenage and college-age
daughters?
5. What are some simple, but impactful ways that a father can show
his affection and love for his daughter?
6. Several of the girls said that although their fathers were physically
present, they were emotionally absent. How might a father show
that he is emotionally available to his daughter?

Chapter 9: Why Daddies Matter
1. Why does the absence of a father hit girls particularly hard?
2. Fathers, what are some practical ways you can carve out one-on-one
time with your daughter?
3. Why is it so important that fathers continue to be physically
affectionate to their daughters, even during the awkward stages
of adolescence? For example, what might girls think if their fathers
suddenly avoid hugging them?
4. Do any of the findings Dr. Dobson lists on page 97 surprise you?
How might you use this new information to change the way your
raise your daughter?
5. What are some things a mom can do to encourage a stronger
relationship between her husband and her daughter?
6. How do fathers shape the romantic interests of their daughters?

Chapter 10: Fathers to Daughters
1. What are some proverbs or suggestions that you would add to the
list Dr. Dobson provides in this chapter?
2. Mothers, do any of these suggestions remind you of your own
experience with your father? Share the stories that come to mind.

Chapter 11: Cinderella at the Ball
1. What is the basic concept of the Purity Ball?
2. Why do you think mainstream media became so intrigued by the
Purity Ball? Why do you think it received so much attention?
3. What are some other ways fathers set a standard of righteousness for
their daughters? How can they help their daughters develop healthy
relationships?

Chapter 12: The Obsession with Beauty
1. How does your daughter react to the Disney princess fantasy?
What about the other little girls you know?
2. What is your perspective on the princess idea? Why do you feel
that girls are attracted to the depictions of beauty and romance?
Or is there something else that draws them in?

3. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the feminist view of Disney’s princess movement? Explain your reasoning.
4. How do you explain the concept of beauty to your daughter?
5. Reflect on Proverbs 31:30. It reads, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” How can you instill the truth in this verse into your little girl?

Chapter 13: Related Questions and Answers
1. What are some questions you have at this point about what
you’ve read?
2. Dr. Dobson concludes the chapter with a guide on how to teach your children to respect authority. Which of the six steps do you struggle with the most? Where do you think you need to make changes?

Chapter 14: The River of Culture
1. What is the “River of Culture” that Dr. Dobson describes in this chapter? Explain how this river has changed since you and your spouse were young children?
2. Do you and your daughter ever discuss the cultural issues that she faces at school, with friends, and in the news? Why or why not?
3. What behaviors are part of the “hookup culture” that Dr. Dobson describes?
4. Dr. Dobson encourages parents to pray daily for their children by name. What are some specific items that you want to include in this prayer?
5. What are your reactions to the statements made by Dr. Joel Becker
during his participation in the panel discussion at Boulder High School in 2007 (p. 161)?
6. When Daphne White, a Boulder High School student, respectfully refuted Dr. Becker’s points, she received very little support from the school administration. Why do you think they didn’t back her up?
7. How might you go about explaining the precious gift of virginity to your daughter?

Chapter 15: Consequences
1. Do you ever feel alone in the battle to protect your children from the harmful influence of unwholesome movies, TV shows, and Internet sites? In what respects do you feel that you do have the support of other parents with young children?
2. Where does self-hatred originate? Explain how self-hatred can lead young girls to life of promiscuity.
3. Based on the research Dr. Dobson presents, describe the interrelatedness of casual sex, depression, self-hatred, and selfdestructive behavior.
4. What are some of the consequences of early promiscuity?
5. Explain the Band-Aid analogy used by Dr. Bush from the University of Mississippi Medical Center (p.176). How does it illustrate the negative effect of casual sexual intercourse on the strength of a marriage?

Chapter 16: Good News about Girls
1. Mothers, what are some positive lessons on modesty that you learned
as a child which you can pass on to your daughter?
2. Which of Dr Dobson’s “Six Steps Parents Really Need to Know” are you already implementing in your home? Explain how this has impacted your relationship with your daughter. What areas do you need to improve on?

Chapter 17: Charming Your Daughter
1. Explain your thoughts after reading the “The Charm Bracelet.”
Is this something you might consider doing for your child? Why or why not?
2. Do you think it was significant that it was the father who presented
his daughter with the charm bracelet? Explain your answer.

Chapter 18: Puberty and Adolescence
1. Why is the pituitary gland so important? Why is it called “the master gland”?
2. Describe the hormones involved in female puberty. How do they affect a girl’s appearance, behavior, and emotions?
3. How can you prepare your daughter for puberty and adolescence?
4. What can you do to provide love, connectedness, and stability when your daughter enters into puberty?

Chapter 19: Bullies, Buddies, and Best Friends
1. Were you ever bullied when you were in school? Did you ever bully
someone else? What advice would you give a girl who is being bullied?
2. What are “alpha girls” and what types of tactics do they use against
the girls they pick on?
3. Do you know any girls you would describe as “alpha girls”? What are they like?
4. What are some practical ways to protect our girls and preserve their
spirits?

Chapter 20: Questions and Answers about Puberty and Adolescence
1. Do you have any lingering questions about puberty and adolescence
and how they affect your daughter?
2. What new information did you take away from this chapter?

Chapter 21: Protecting Your Daughter from Invasive Technology
1. Pornographic images are becoming a part of everyday life. How can
you prevent your daughter from being exposed to these images on the
Internet, television, movies, and magazines?
2. What can you do to stay up-to-date with the technology that your daughter uses?
3. Does your daughter use social networking sites? What might be the benefits of monitoring her activity on those sites?
4. How can technology also be a great family friend? In addition to
helpful tools like DVR and Internet filters, are there others that you might begin taking advantage of?
5. What are some media-related biblical principles? For example, Psalm
101:3 says, “I will set before my eyes no vile thing. The deeds of faithless men I hate; they will not cling to me.”
6. How might you explain the concept of divine hatred to your
daughter?

Chapter 22: The Last Word
1. How can you help your daughter understand that God knows her
personally and loves her individually?
2. What kind of spiritual legacy are you passing on to the girls in your
life? Is it different from the way you were taught about spiritual matters? If so, how?
3. When did your daughter first learn to pray? What can you do to ensure that you take the time to pray together as a family?
4. List two or three practical steps (appropriate to her age) that you can take to strengthen your girl’s spiritual life.