Patti Garibay, founder and executive director of American Heritage Girls (AHG), says it is important to ground girls in biblical truth.
"Social media is really invading the thoughts and minds of girls," she notes. "It's creating a lot of confusion, a whole lot of noise, and a whole lot of comparisons. We encourage each and every girl to understand who they are and whose they are."
AHG mentors, parents, and the churches that host the troops teach girls that their identity is securely anchored in Christ.
"Those all come together to help counter that reactive thought of what social media is saying about them," Garibay says. "Most often, what social media is saying about these girls is contrary to what God says about them."
But knowing that social media is not going away, she wants to help parents find ways to point their daughters to "good … gospel-proclaiming social media."
"Just like letting your daughter have keys to the car, you wouldn't give her keys to the Wild, Wild West of social media without some bumpers on that lane," she poses. "That is what we need to do as parents. It is our calling."
AHG, which has 70,000 members and 1,300 troops in all 50 states and serves girls in six countries around the globe, offers various resources under "Raising Godly Girls," including a weekly podcast, one-minute radio features, a blog, and biblical guidance and advice on various topics affecting girls today.
Garibay encourages parents to take advantage of those materials and to have open discussions with their daughters about what they are exposing themselves to so they can help counter those negative messages.
