Raising Boys and Girls: The Art of Understanding Their Differences - Leader Kit

Raising Boys and Girls: The Art of Understanding Their Differences by Sissy Goff is designed to help parents, grandparents, church volunteers, and other caregivers of children from preschool to high school learn to better connect with their kids. As adults understand the differences in girls and boys, they can learn to use tools that will help them communicate, understand, and connect with kids of all ages.

Modern Parents, Vintage Values

What do I do when my son learns phrases in school that he's not allowed to say at home?

How do I teach my daughter caution but not fear?

How do I teach my daughter about gratitude when she believes she is entitled to a cell phone and a laptop and everything else that not only she wants, but that all of the kids around her already have?

Raising Girls

"That's what a girl is: potential. She knows few limits. A girl is strong. She knows little of fatigue, only her own boundless energy. A girl is a comrade of other girls, all hard at the business of becoming."
- Barbara Cawthorne Crafton, The Sewing Room

"My six-year-old fusses with her hair for hours. Is this normal?"

"Yesterday my seventh grader was all sunshine. Today she's wearing black and won't leave her room."

"I'm worried my teenager may have an eating disorder."

In today's complex world, parenting a girl is harder than ever. It takes more than love. It takes insight into the things that make your daughter tick as she grows from childhood to young adulthood.

The Back Door To Your Teen's Heart

"This book represents years, thousands of hours, of rich, life-changing involvement with teens. It could become a classic."
- Larry Crabb - Psychologist, Author, and Founder of New Life Ministries

Having trouble connecting with your teen? Feel like every time you try, you get a door slammed in your face? Then, why not try the back door? It's always openÑif you know how to find it.

Remember how you reacted to your parents' attempts to...well, be a parent? And now you're the parent, trying to understand the teen under your roof.

Here's help from two women who actually understand teens. Their practical "back door" approach to parenting adolescents will help you "soften, shape, and strengthen" you teen into the person God is creating them to be. Melissa and Sissy invite you on a challenging yet delightful journey through the back door into your teen's heart.

Mirrors & Maps

“There’s nothing like setting out on a journey that’s clearly mapped in front of you. Mirrors & Maps does just that! I love the way it not only prepares young girls for the road ahead but also allows them to get to know themselves better along the way. I only wish this book had been around for my journey. Dream big!”
—Melinda Doolittle, American Idol Finalist and Recording Artist

Pop Quiz

*Have you ever woken up and felt bad about yourself for no reason whatsoever?
*Have you spent time trying to figure out how to get into the popular group at school?
*Have you ever been embarrassed by your dad singing in the car with your friends?
*Have you noticed that things are starting to feel more different than ever before?
*Do you change your opinion—or even your personality—around different friends?
*Do you get overwhelmed with all of the thoughts and feelings bouncing around inside of you?

Growing Up Without Getting Lost

"What a valuable resource for high school girls! We have known Melissa over the years as a youth leader, mentor, and friend, and Sissy as a gifted counselor and mentor to many teens in our community. Now, they are authors who have produced a work that will help girls all over the country discover who God is calling them to be."
-Michael W. and Debbie Smith, Author, Songwriters, and Recording Artist, Parents of 5

Who are you really becoming?
There was a time, not so long ago, when everything in life seemed pretty simple. You had great friends, you got along with your parents (most of the time!), and you were pretty happy with the way your life was.

But suddenly, it seems like everything is changing. Your friends expect way too much from you, and often let you down. You fight with your parents more than you’d like, and they never seem to be happy with you. You just don’t understand why your life seems so chaotic now.

Melissa and Sissy, the authors of this book, think they can help you figure out some of the big questions inundating your mind:

Who am I? What do I want? What should I do? Who do I want to be?