As I read this book, I was sorry that I didn't have it when my own daughter was young. She is now grown and a self-assured woman, but she didn't always feel that way about herself. Confident Moms, Confident Daughters is filled with wonderful advice that mothers can share with their daughters. Author Maria Furlough uses personal experiences, Bible scripture, and reliable research to show how we can improve our daughters' self-esteem and free them from insecurity. Each of the twelve chapters have a Confident Moms Challenge--- Confident Daughters Discussion Questions---and A Mom's Prayer. There is also a Confident Moms, Confident Daughters Manifesto at the end of this book that is based on Proverbs 31 and it has so many beautiful thoughts but the ending verses are especially powerful and best of all, they apply to ALL of us!
I am beautiful because I know that physical beauty fades and you won't catch me putting my value in looks.
I am beautiful because I trust the Lord above all else.
I am beautiful because I am God's daughter.
We mothers may not be able to leave our daughters a huge inheritance when we die, but we can offer them a priceless gift. We have lived through the different stages that they are now experiencing, we have felt the same emotions, and it is through overcoming our own insecurity that we can now help them conquer their own. We can assure them that their beauty lies within and that they are beautiful because they are a child of God!
I received a complimentary copy from Revell but I am voluntarily sharing this review. These are my honest thoughts. ( )

In Confident Moms, Confident Daughters, author Maria Furlough aims to encourage and equip moms who desire to help their daughters live free from insecurity in an image-obsessed culture.

The author balanced well the ideas of “true beauty” and physical beauty. She emphasized “true beauty” as most important, but validated the feminine desire for physical beauty. She gave practical tips to help a mom feel confident about her physical characteristics. She encourages a woman to focus on what she loves about her body and play to those strengths by purchasing clothes that fit well or trying a new makeup style. In short, use and enjoy what works for you. She is not saying to dress provocatively. Rather, she’s encouraging women to be clothed with “strength and dignity” (a phrase by her daughter on page 138) and that includes dressing in clothes that make one feel strong and confident. Being confident yourself is a crucial step to helping your daughter be confident in her body.

My main takeaways from Confident Moms, Confident Daughters were: 1.) Don’t speak negatively about your body or your daughter’s body. 2.) Don’t vent or dump your issues on your daughter. Talk to the husband, friends, or family, but don’t make your daughter carry your burdens or issues. 3.) Reflective listening. 4.) Honest communication and connection creates an inroad for you to be able to speak truth to your daughter about this crucial issue.

I recommend Confident Moms, Confident Daughters by Maria Furlough to any mom. I will keep this book and reread it in the future. The discussion questions to talk with your daughter about are more appropriate for tween and teen girls. My daughters are much younger and I don’t think they would completely understand or process the questions deeply. Still, the information in the book is valuable as I can start applying the recommended practices when they are young.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. ( )