L.C. asks from Holly Springs, NC on June 26, 2011
Need Advice on Christian Books/magazines/movies/music for 13 Yo Girl
We are getting ready to go on the family vacation in a couple of weeks and are hoping to bring our 13 y o God daughter with us.(if she decides she can handle a week in the cabin on the lake away from her facebook, phone and her boyfriend) It's an 18 hour drive that we are going to break up in 3 days. I want to put togather a bag for her with stuff she can occupy herself on the trip. I need an advice on Christian books, magazines, movies and music(she likes rap) that she might enjoy, since our kids are 6 and under I have no idea. She has had a HARD life, has seen /experienced way too much (bad) in her short 13 years . She has all of her info on her facebook about her favorite things to watch/listen/read but NONE of them would be exceptable in our house(like her # 1 movie Babysitters about a call girl services and rap music with every other word being a curse word). All 4 of our God kids know what rules we have at our house and if they choose to come they have to obey them. If you have any movie ideas that are not Chrstian but are PG rated that your 13 y o likes that would be helpful too.And games/crafts???? I do not know, we just reconnected with them after they were gone for 2 years So this is alot harder now that she is 13(I had no problem finding fun things to do with her 11 yo sister) TIA :)
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J.N. answers from Salt Lake City on June 26, 2011
Just asked my 12 (nearly 13) year old daughter what she would want. Here's her list.
Music: Taylor Swift, Train, Rascal Flats, Brad Paisley, etc.
Movies: Shrek, Percy Jackson, Tangled, Megamind, etc.
Books: Percy Jackson series, Goose Girl, Narnia,
Magazines: magazines about teen celebrities (Selena Gomez, etc)
My daughter just got out of 6th grade, so I don't know if her tastes will change as she enters jr high. But at least it gives you some ideas of kids that age.
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S.D. answers from Fort Walton Beach on June 26, 2011
I just have a quick minute so not much info...I'll try to post more later. If she likes rap you may check out TobyMac or J. Moss, there are others but that is all I can think of right now. Hope she goes & has a great time!
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W.C. answers from Lexington on June 27, 2011
I would suggest first looking up a set of Air1 listings that will be on your route to listen to as a family. They are the more punkish sister station to KLOVE. If you're looking for music, we love Tobymac and the DCTalk Free At Last cd. Skillet is great band as is the David Crowder band, tho I'm not sure that's quite hard enough for what you're looking for. I'd suggest hitting your local Lifeway or Family Life and asking a clerk for a sampling - current rap artists/Air1 artists. they can steer you straight.
Additionally, check out PluggedInOnline.com. GREAT resource for media reviews - music, movies, etc.
Movies? the Narnia series is great. Is Soul Surfer out on Redbox yet? You could get that....IDK.... I loved the Jane Austen movies at that age but I have always been a bibliophile.
For a book, she might like Brian Welch's books - the guy from Hardcore band KORN who found Christ and has been living the life ever since..... Titles include Save Me From Myself, Stronger: Forty Days of Metal and Spirituality, Washed by the Blood, and Got the Life. He also apparently has new Christian tunes out (seeing MP3's on Amazon), but I haven't listened to them....I would imagine they recall days of KORN, with Christian lyrics. As well, CBN recommends Rapper Mase and Josh Brown (formerly of Full Devil Jacket, now fronting Day of Fire), both converts now releasing christian music. I second the Peretti suggestions MomOfSix mentioned.
If nothing else, I would hit your local LIfeway and ask a clerk for suggestions and direction. Or, try your high school youth minister....
good luck!
1 mom found this helpful
R.U. answers from Nashville on June 28, 2011
my daughter likes the movie lemonaid mouth. you can get christian rap at lifeway. chicken soup for the teenager. good luck. R.
N.G. answers from Fayetteville on June 28, 2011
L.,
I think it's wonderful that you're bringing your goddaughter along on your family vacation! You are so thoughtful and considerate! My kids are 10 and 15. We don't listen to rap at all because of the reasons you already stated. But my kids absolutely love TobyMac (Christian mix of music styles), Britt N. (Christian based pop, ballads), Bob Marley (peace lovin' reggae), and of course, Taylor Swift (pop).
If she enjoys a good read, she may enjoy a fantasy book called Eragon, by Christopher Paolini, a teenage author! My 15 year old read it and now my younger is attempting. Warning--it's a thick, intimidating book! You can always go the teen book route and pick up the Twilight series for her. Harry Potter is another good series. You can also pick up a cool looking diary or journal for her.
Games/Crafts: Friendship bracelet, necklace, origami kits are entertaining. My son has just gotten into origami for dollar bills. He finds it online and has made cash gift giving more creative! Connect Four is easy enough to play with any age. Jenga is good but only if you have a solid table to build on. Many games are made in travel size now and use magnets to keep the pieces from sliding off the board. You didn't mention how old your child/children are, but they can play all kinds of card games together, like UNO, Go Fish, Crazy Eights, War, etc.
Movies: Ice Age, Spy Kids, and The Chronicles of Narnia all have sequels. She may also like The Spiderwick Chronicles, Aliens in the Attic, Bridge to Tarabithia, Jumanji, Madagascar, Anastasia, or Finding Nemo. Our all time family favorite...The Princess Bride!! An absolute must for every home!
Finally, a lake means water fun. You may want to get her a floating lounger. I have seen the kind that fold up just like a car windshield shade. Super Soakers are fun if everyone has one! It would be nice to toss in a couple of disposable cameras with her name on them so she can document her experiences on the trip. You may even want to enclose some note paper, envelopes and stamps and show her how we used to keep in contact with people back home in the "old" days. =) Colorful pens, a highlighter, rubber stamps and stickers would add something extra to her letters!
However you do it, I'm sure you all will have a great time. This will be a trip she remembers for the rest of her life. Happy trails and blessings!
Sincerely,
N.
J.G. answers from San Antonio on June 26, 2011
I really like David Crowder Band. No rap involved, but I think teens would like it. Lots of albums out there. It's more rock though.
Good answer SunyDays: Toby Mac is more rappish.
I recenly watched Ramona & Beezus. It was cute.
The Adventures of Milo and Otis is a classic.
Hachi is a movie I haven't seen yet, but am going to pick up at the library tomorrow. (dog movie, Richard Guere)
Marmaduke had a 13 or so yo girl texting on her phone. It was a good movie.
Fun/creative/easy car trip ideas at www.momsminivan.com
Wish I had more
S.B. answers from Kansas City on June 26, 2011
The Chronicles of Narnia are great books/movies! They may skew a little young for her, the books anyway, but even my 13 year old brother who hates everything will sit and watch them with us.
And for crafts, you could go to Hobby Lobby and look in the craft section and see what they've got. I know they have some neat looking friendship bracelets and nail polish kits and stuff.
L.H. answers from Abilene on June 26, 2011
I hope your trip is wonderful. We keep a close eye on what our 12 year old daughter and 7 year old son watch/read/ect.
Movies:
If she hasn't seen the Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe, it's excellent as well as
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. (Based on the Chronicles of Narnia) These would NOT be good for anyone under 6 though. Battle scenes are pretty intense.
Shrek movies (all of them)
My kids loved Nanny McPhee (both 1 and 2)
Beethoven (the big dog movies)
Under Dog
My daughter reads a lot. Right now we are reading The Mysterious Benedict Society. It's a great read and hooks you from the beginning. There are 3 books in the series. She also loves Nancy Drew. There are a couple of great Christian magazines if you go to Family Life Christian or LIfeway they would be able to direct you. My daughter also likes the American Girl Magazine which you can buy at Walmart. You could also buy her a new journal and a disposable camera so she can write and take pictures of her vacation with you. Or a scrapbook if you think she's turned more that way.
Another thing we love is nature study. You go out and try to identify birds/trees/flowers/spiders/bugs etc. Even trying to sketch them if possible or sketch a tree. Nature guides are pretty cheap at the 1/2 price book stores, you can probably find ones on the trees or birds native to the area you're visiting.
I would also suggest games. We love to play yahtzee, trouble, sorry, checkers, monopoly and charades. Charades especially can be hilarious if everyone participates. We do games in the evening instead of TV. It is a lot of fun and I believe so much better for our family. We also love to C. together. Some of our best memories are made in the kitchen (good food too). :)
My best friend and I have 6 children between us ages 18mos to 12 years old. We purchased very cheap t-shirts (Michaels with a 1/2 off coupon) and the stuff to tye die shirts. Instead of tye die we bought spray paint (in the same location as the tye die). Each child rubber banded their shirt as much or as little as they wanted and then sprayed away. It was a lot of fun and the kids had a ball. Then we took them to the bluebonnets and made pictures. You could do something like that with your family so later this summer when they put their shirts on they have great memories of making them together.
My daughter is very appreciative of my listening to her. She has big dreams and lots of questions right now. I talk to her about making up her mind now to never get into a car with someone who's been drinking. How important she is to our family and how many people would be heart broken if something happened to her. Thinking through and discussing the issues she will face later makes her know I'm realizing how quickly she's growing. I tell her all the time I know she will make mistakes but she'll also make good decisions too and practicing on what her answers will be will help her be strong when she needs to be.
Sorry to be so long winded. You've touched on an area close to my heart. Blessings to you on your trip. I hope she decides to go and you all have a ball together.
L.
W.M. answers from Nashville on June 30, 2011
I heard The Lads are a Christain group that have a rap sound to them. They are young and the young kids are liking them. Can you buy or rent a DVD player and bring some movies for her to watch. 18 hours is a long time. Does she have an ipod you can buy her some downloads to listen to on the way? Get her some girly/teen magazines you can find at your grocery store. Maybe some nail polish she can do her nails. A couple cute books like by Judy Blume, etc Don't push her into your Christian beliefs beyond just introducing it to her. If you push, you will push her away. I am Christian but my grandmother pushes it harder and it bothers me and I am 41. Just buy nice, innocent things, don't push your beliefs on her. She is too young to want to conform without her making her own decision. Go on Amazon.com and look up teen books and get some ideas. I agree with picking up the entire Twilight series of books! I read them and they are AWESOME and don't have any sex or anything bad in them. Some is assumed but nothing is literally spoken about. They were written for teens but has become such a phenom between all ages. I LOVE the books! There are four....buy them all, i read them all in less than two weeks and they are thick. Have fun!
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