Tag: Preteens

{Product Review}: FamilyLife’s Passport2Purity Getaway Kit

Kathie Phillips
I was so excited to take a look at FamilyLife’s Passport2Purity Getaway Kit.  While I no longer have preteens living at my house, I do work with preteens at church and am always on the lookout for resources for them, their parents and their leaders.
Your child begins the journey into adolescence in a world of sexting, bullying, online stalking and moral defiance.  Innocence is under attack, and you cannot win the battle with a single awkward talk or a strict set of rules.  The primary defense for your child is a strong relationship with you and with God.  FamilyLife developed Passport2Purity (P2P) to assist you in building heart-to-heart communication with your preteen while laying a foundation of purity that will prepare him or her for the turbulent years ahead.  Through the shared listening experience, object lessons and guided conversations of a P2P weekend getaway, you can set your son or daughter on a journey of moral integrity – and strengthen the bond between you.
It is designed to be used by a mother and daughter or a father and son when the child is a preteen.  It is suggested that the materials be completed over a weekend away from home, as the child may be more open to discussing the topics away from his or her normal environment.  If this isn’t possible, the material can be completed over a period of four or five weeks.
About the getaway kit:
(1) Tour Guide for the parent, (1) Travel Journal for the preteen including 25 follow-up devotions, and (8) CDs containing 5 sessions, scripture memory songs and downloadable MP3s:  Session 1: Beginning the Journey – Challenges, Traps, and Choices; Session 2: Running With The Herd – Friendships and Peer Pressure; Session 3: Ready For An Upgrade? – Changes in Him, Changes in Her; Session 4: Destination: Lé Pure – Setting Boundaries; Session 5: Crossing The Date Line – Seeing Dating Differently
Receive 25% off the getaway kit by using the promo code PASSPORT on their website.  
This promo code is good through 8/31/15.  
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S O C I A L • C O R N E R
 
 
 
Twitter: @FamilyLifeToday @DennisRainey @BarbaraRainey 
 
 

Tween Girls Targeted by Victoria’s Secret?

Kathie Phillips 3 Comments

Being the mom of a young teen daughter, I find there is often a struggle with helping her find modest, age-appropriate but fashionable clothing.

Photo (c) Victoria's Secret
Photo (c) Victoria’s Secret

I came across an article a few weeks ago that caught my eye.  It has been all over the news and web.  The article referenced outraged parents over Victoria’s Secret newest “Bright Young Things” campaign.  You can read the article here.  While the company denies it, parents allege that the line targets tween girls.  (If you are not sure what a ‘tween’ is, a ‘tween’ is usually defined as an 8-12 yr old.)

On a side note, you might also be interested in checking out Darrah Gresh’s Secret Keeper Girl’s Modesty Project.

Let’s talk about this.  Have you heard the buzz about this controversy?  What are your thoughts?


Thankful Thursday: Week 2

Kathie Phillips

A few weeks ago, I planned to set aside every Thursday in November to share some of the many things I’m thankful for.  You can read about Week 1 here. 

“Always be thankful.”

Colossians 3:15, NLT

Being more intentional about having an attitude of gratitude for the month of November has really been good for me.  During the daily grind, when things get frustrating or overwhelming, I say, “Be thankful.  Always be thankful.”  That puts things into perspective.

If you have been following me, you are aware that we launched a preteen ministry at our church this fall.  Naturally, this is something I’m thankful for.  I shared my thoughts about this over at FourFiveSix.  You can read about it here.

Is having an attitude of gratitude part of your daily life?  Let me know how by sharing below!

{Book Review} and Free Book Giveaway: “The One Year Be-Tween You and God”

Kathie Phillips 7 Comments

My thirteen-year-old daughter, Kennedy, and I recently reviewed Sandra Byrd’s recently released “The One Year Be-Tween You & God”, a devotional for girls ages 9-14.

About the Book

You have questions, some very personal and deep, others lighter and funny.  In this devotional, bestselling teen and tween author Sandra Byrd tackles 365 of those questions with scripturally based answers designed just for today’s girl.  

This devotional is like a personal diary between you and God.  Your questions and God’s answers from Scripture will lead you to a solid faith and deeper relationship with him.

Kennedy’s Thoughts

The outside cover of the book had a really cool design.  I think that is a big hit for girls my age.  Each devotional began with a “Dear God” question that is relevant and age-appropriate for preteen and teen girls like me.  I liked that each devotional had a corresponding scripture and an application prayer at the end.

I felt that the devotional lacked color and was kind of dull in appearance in the inside.  That part is not appealing for girls my age.  I like that while the book has a scripture index, I think that a topical index would help girls find devotions around a topic that they are going through at a given time.

Overall, I think the content is great and would help many girls my age answer questions about God and life in general.

Kathie’s Thoughts

I was thrilled to receive a copy of “The One Year Be-Tween You and God” devotional book for girls.  As a mom of a teenage daughter, I am always on the lookout for great resources to help her grow in her relationship with Christ.

The book contains 365 devotions, one for each day of the year.  Each devotional contains a “Dear God” question (written from the prospective of a “tween”); a “Consider This” devotional thought written by the author; a follow-up question; and a passage of Scripture. The scripture passages were taken from the New Living Translation, which I think makes God’s Word easily understood by preteens and teens.

I think that the majority of “Dear God” questions were age-appropriate.  They covered friendship, self-worth, popularity, fashion/beauty, school, following God and family relationships.  Some, in my opinion, seemed geared towards older teens.  For example, “Dear God, I still feel embarrassed about some stuff I did in the past.  How can I stop thinking about it?”  I’m not sure how much of a past a nine-year-old would have.

I agree with my daughter that it would have been more appealing if the pages were in color instead of black, white and gray.  I also agree that a topical index would allow for more personal application.  Finally, it would have been great if the book included a space for the girls to journal some of their thoughts.

Overall, I think the book is a great option for preteen and early teen girls.  I think it will help girls grapple with their faith and other issues they face during these impressionable years.

I am giving away a free copy of this resource!  You’ll be automatically entered to win when you leave a “Pick Me!” comment along with your name below.  The opportunity to enter ends at 5:00 pm EST on October 31, 2012.  

Tyndale House Publishers provided me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.