Dobson tips hat to American Heritage Girls

James Dobson, the child psychologist and parenting expert who founded Focus on the Family's massive ministry, has given a hat tip to the American Heritage Girls.

"I recommend American Heritage Girls enthusiastically to parents who want their daughters involved in a traditional Christian-based program that will reinforce what they are trying to teach at home," he says in his new book "Bringing Up Girls."

American Heritage Girls is the premier faith-based national character-development and leadership group for young women.

"Bringing Up Girls" is a companion book to "Bringing Up Boys," published earlier by Dobson.

As the only all-girls organization to be affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, American Heritage Girls offers advice through its programming to enrich the lives of girls through a diverse range of badge activities, community-service projects, camping and more.

"We are proud to be recognized by Dr. Dobson and we encourage parents everywhere to commit to their daughters' future by reading this book and helping build women of integrity through service to God, family, community and country," said Patti Garibay, founder of American Heritage Girls, Inc.

The group was launched in 1995 in Cincinnati and has grown from 10 troops with 100 members to locations in 37 states and four countries serving more than 10,000 members.

Dobson's "Bringing Up Boys" has been a runaway hit, selling 2-million-plus copies. His sequel is intended to provide answers to parents raising daughters in today's world.

It addresses questions including:

Are girls really fundamentally different from boys? If so, should they be treated differently?
Whoever said that girls are "sugar and spice and everything nice" never met my teenager. What can I do?
My adolescent daughter seems to be on an emotional roller coaster. One minute she's giddy with excitement; the next she's moody and withdrawn. Is this normal?
As a mom, I so badly want to be "best friends" with my daughter. Why isn’t it working out the way I dreamed?
How does a dad's role in his daughter's life influence her character and decisions – including her eventual choice of a husband?
How can grandparents contribute to raising a healthy granddaughter?
What's the best way to educate girls?

Dobson was on the faculty of the University of Southern California School of Medicine for 14 years and holds a Ph.D. in child development from the university.

He also was on the task force that summarized the White House Conferences on Families and was appointed by President Reagan to the National Advisory Commission to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

Get your copy of "Bringing Up Girls" now.