7 Things Every Young Woman Should Know

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7 Things Every Young Woman Should Know | More Radiance Blog | Personal Growth | Goals | Homemaking | Practical things for girls to know |

The other week I went to a quaint little bookstore that I like to visit from time-to-time.  While I was there I managed to find and purchase a small stack of used books (nothing unusual for me).  Among the titles was a little old-fashioned book titled Beautiful Girlhood.  Although it’s geared for younger readers in an earlier time period I learned so much from this book!  Every chapter seemed to have something I needed to learn and remember.


One of my favorite chapters was about accomplishments.  In this chapter it reminded young woman of the need to know how to do seven crucial things.  In our modern days these seven things are sorely lacking and are rarely being taught -yet for any young woman they are a must-know!  I’ve tweaked these 7 accomplishments and I am sharing them here with some thoughts of my own.

1. She should know how to keep house.

This means keeping a house neat and clean.  You should know how to put a room “back together” and how to deep clean when needed. This is something many women neglect, because it takes time and effort. But every young woman should know how to clean up after herself, and keep things neat and tidy.

Someday you will be a blessing to your home and your family because you know how to properly keep house.

2. She should be able to cook tasty and nourishing meals.  

This includes a broad range of recipes in order to create a balanced meal.  Not just Pinterest worthy recipes for parties. 😉 Every young woman should take the time to learn how to cook and prepare foods for breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner. 

Cooking may someday be a very large part of your life… take time now to learn how to cook!

3. She should know how to (properly) do the laundry.

I can’t imagine having to wash my clothes the old fashioned way.  Even if we do have it easier, it’s still important to know how to wash, dry, iron, and fold clothing properly.  Certain types of fabrics must be cared for different ways and it’s helpful to understand the care instructions on our clothing.

4. She should know how to sew and mend. 

With modest clothing being hard to find, we would all be wise to learn some basic patterns (check out freshmodesty.com for some helpful e-books), or learn how to altar thrift store finds.  We should know how to mend a sock, make a simple hem, and sew a button properly.

5. She should know how to take care of her body.

This sounds like no brain-er but it’s amazing how many young women miss this!  Make it a point to leave the house freshly washed and smelling nice -deodorant please!- and a tasteful amount of perfume never hurts.   We should learn to eat in a healthy yet balanced way, and take the time to exercise as well.

6.  She should know a way to earn an income if necessary.

We should all have at least one (if not, more!) reliable and/or creative ways to earn money. Maybe learning a career and getting a job is for you… or maybe you prefer some more creative ways of earning money. Here are some options….

  • Learn how to make money with a blog. (I recommend reading this book, and getting started with a blog using Bluehost as your blogging platform.)
  • Become a nanny or cleaning lady. These jobs pay well and require minimal skill.
  • Start your own arts and crafts business selling your own creations.

There are lots of ways to make money. Learning a simple skill or honing the skills you already have can be a great help to your family in the future.

7. She should have a basic knowledge of business and managing money.

This will not only help you… it will benefit your future husband and family as well. So many people do not know how to manage money, and yet, it’s a very important skill to learn. Money is not the most important things in life, but we all need to know how to properly earn, save, and spend money.

Final Thoughts

If you’re like me you probably need to work on a few of the skills mentioned in this list.  Which one do you need to work on the most?  What are some steps you can take today? Please share in the comments below!

Want to know more? Check out this free online homemaking course that covers many of the topics mentioned above!

Rebekah Joy (2)

8 thoughts on “7 Things Every Young Woman Should Know

  1. Hello! I Just thought I’d leave a little note of encouragement on your blog. 🙂
    I think this post is great!! Keep up the good work.
    -Rosa

  2. Wow. Beautiful Girlhood! I thought I was the only one reading this book well past the intended age group for which it was written! 🙂 My mom first got it for me as a young girl years ago, along with its companion book (think journal, with questions and space to write in answers). I think this was a newer edition than yours… mine doesn’t look vintage yet. 😉

    Now, it’s still on my bookshelf, and I still go back and read from it now and then. What’s more… its content has stuck with me. I still remember where the author of Beautiful Girlhood writes, “She should know how to make not only fudge and salads, but soups and stews and hearty things.” {That was not really a quote, just my poor recollection.} 😉 So true. I love to bake desserts, but really… being a good housewife will require a solid knowledge of non-glamorous things like grocery shopping and meal planning and basic cooking techniques.

    And the principles on modest dress and conduct? I’ve found that they’re only becoming MORE relevant as the years go by. 🙂 I’m so glad I’m not the only one who has profited from this gem of a book!

    Blessings,
    Emily

    1. Hi Emily,
      I’m so glad you like Beautiful Girlhood as well. I still cannot believe how much wisdom I gleaned from a book directed towards young girls! Aren’t books wonderful? 🙂 I just recently saw the think journal online but I had no idea it was related to Beautiful Girlhood. I will have to check it out and perhaps get a copy for myself. 🙂 Thanks for mentioning it!
      Thank you for commenting and visiting my blog. I sincerely hope you will visit again.
      Rebekah

      1. You’re welcome! To clarify, the companion book is titled simply “The Companion Guide to Beautiful Girlhood” by Shelley Noonan and Kimberly Zach (published in 2000 by Pumpkin Seed Press). It accompanies Karen Andreola’s revision/edition of “Beautiful Girlhood” (Great Expectations Book Co., 1993). It would be one better for me to dig around and provide a website link 😉 but I will leave that to you (and others) if you are interested.

        By the way, this is the actual quote I alluded to earlier: “A girl should learn to cook good, nourishing meals. It is not enough that she can make fudge and salad and cake. She should be able to cook vegetables and meats in an appetizing manner.” 🙂

        1. Okay… that is different from what I saw, but it sounds really great! I am sure the book is probably on Amazon -one of my favorite places to pick up new books! 🙂
          Thanks for sharing the whole quote… I remember reading it in the book.
          I hope you are having a lovely week!
          Rebekah

  3. This is a good and very interesting blog. Just stumbled on it this morning while reading “Lies Young Women Believe” It was actually your name that caught my attention in the comment section under one of Paula Hendricks post and I’ve been hooked on since.
    I am recently unemployed and since I’m (always have been) single, I just sit at home depressed but reading your goals for the year and all of that today, woke something up in me. I am definitely including this beautiful girlhood wisdom to my lifestyle.
    I am Nigerian, living in Nigeria so virtually everything (apart from the business aspect and earning money) are things we grew up with. . . But ever since I became an adult, it just sorta dwindled. I need to get back on track and this post just gave me a lightbulb moment. God bless you girl!

    1. Hi Mary Jane!
      I am so glad you stumbled across my blog -I hope it is helpful to you! I truly hope you will set some goals and get busy! I know it can be sooo easy to get into a slump and not really have a desire to do anything… but we definitely need to fight against it and get busy serving the Lord, doing things for others, and learning! Thank you so much for leaving a comment, and I hope you will be back 🙂
      Rebekah

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