Child Psychology Book Lady

This book was recommended to me by my beautiful sister-in-law, and like everything she recommends, it is an absolute gem. A non-prescriptive guidebook, it offers a thinking space for mothers and daughters as they walk through the transition from being a girl to becoming a woman.

Short take: In Moon Mother, Moon Daughter: Myths and Rituals that Celebrate a Girls Coming of age, two mothers provide thoughtful and practical activities to help mothers guide and support their daughters through puberty. The book focuses on connection, intuition, acceptance, and authenticity as girls move through this pivotal stage of change.

Parenting approach:

• The parenting style endorsed is authoritative, encouraging warmth, understanding and gentle guidance with a base of unconditional love and support. The authors encourage mothers to stay connected to their daughters, while allowing space for them to individuate and grow into their own people.

Key themes:

• Mother-daughter bond – a lifelong connection. One of the central themes is that the connection between mothers and daughters can and should remain strong through all ages and stages, including (or especially) in the adolescent years. It is this connection and secure base that helps girls grow and thrive.
• Intergenerational connections and the web of wise women. Emphasis is placed on finding strong female role models for our daughters, through friends, aunts, grandmothers, older siblings or cousins.
• Drawing on ancient traditions. The book reminds us that women have been guiding each other through this transition for all of human history, and that we can learn from traditional stories and ceremony to guide the way.
• Nature and the cycles of life. The moon is a powerful symbol through the book, representing the natural cycles of a woman, and patterns of change and renewal.

Overall impression:

• Moon Mother, Moon Daughter is a book that celebrates a girl’s coming of age, through rituals and traditions that strengthen girls’ connections to their bodies and inner voices, as well as to their mothers, women in their communities, and mother earth.
• The chapters focus on getting in touch with one’s inner wisdom and intuition, the importance of spending time alone, expressing creativity, exploring dreams, honouring the body, celebrating and marking the start of menstruation, discovering intimacy and sexuality, and connecting with community through participation and giving back.
• Traditional stories and folklore are woven throughout the book, such as the Myths of Tara (Tibetan Goddess of Wisdom) and Hera (Goddess of the New Moon), imbuing a fullness and deeper meaning to the activities. While some of this might feel a little witchy or out-there, I encourage anyone who reads it to lean into this, as it may lead you to a surprising, yet more embodied, creative, and open space within yourself.
• I loved so many of the rituals and activities described in this book. While many of them are designed for pre-teens and teens, there are even activities for littler girls. For example, creating dream diaries or personal altars as a way to reify or bring to life their inner worlds.
• Overall, I found this book to be thoughtful, enriching, and distinct from anything else I have read. It offers something unique and additive to mainstream books for teen girls. The authors show a deep respect for the knowledge and experiences of women, and call us to protect and rebuild sacred spaces, just for girls. It sparked joy and excitement in me, rather than a feeling of foreboding or doom, which other psychology books for adolescent girls have done. Whether your daughter is 3, 7, 11, or 15, I think this book has something to offer.