Bloom: Unfolding the Beauty of Femininity in Light of the Son

Maria Riley shares her experience delving into Bloom, a mother-daughter guidebook about puberty and the beauty of becoming a woman.

Bloom: Unfolding the Beauty of Femininity in Light of the Son by Stacy Halbach is an engaging, interactive workbook for moms and daughters aged 8-12. Using Catholic teaching, Halbach introduces puberty topics like body image, self-care, fertility, and boundaries in a simple and accessible way.

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Through twelve chapters, Bloom gives moms a launching pad for discussing important topics with their daughters. These various subjects are approached through a Catholic lens, but the text is not overtly preachy nor difficult for tweens to understand.

Each chapter starts with an opening prayer, followed by a three- to four-page essay about the topic. The chapters end with a short saint story, discussion questions, and a suggested activity for moms and daughters to do together. Mothers are encouraged to read through the entire chapter ahead of time to determine how and what to discuss with her daughter. Some concepts may not be appropriate for all girls, and moms are empowered to discern the right topics for their own daughter.

You will find an overview of typical puberty-education material like illustrations of the female reproductive organs and discussions about body hair and odor. In Bloom, Halbach goes even further and includes topics like understanding love languages, setting healthy boundaries in all types of relationships, and understanding the purpose of our existence. She includes practical tips for caring for not only our physical bodies, but also our spiritual well-being.

Aside from the guidebook, there are online resources that compliment Bloom. Anyone can join the free online community that is full of additional resources. My favorites are the full-color watercolor pictures that are seen in black and white in the workbook, and the Scripture coloring pages for each chapter. My 12-year-old loved to color each chapter’s coloring page while we discussed the concepts.

As I went through this guidebook with my daughter, I appreciated the structure and format. Each chapter took us about 10 to 15 minutes to complete, and when I asked my daughter about it, she said she loved spending the special time with me. I had an opportunity to reinforce things she already knew as well as introduce new concepts. I did find some of the saint stories to be too intense for her age, so I skipped reading some of them.

In the Appendix, Halbach offers other resources for further learning and discussion. Each chapter could be its own book, and Bloom is meant to be an introduction. Because these are such big topics and Bloom is a manageable length, each topic is covered generally. Moms can determine which subjects need additional time for her daughter, and delve more thoroughly into them. This book has received an Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat.

Any mom of a tween would benefit from the conversations and experiences offered by going through Bloom together. This guidebook will help moms converse with their daughters about intimidating subjects, and help all women understand the beauty of their femininity, in the light of the Son.

Ask for Bloom: Unfolding the Beauty of Femininity in Light of the Son at your local Catholic bookseller, or order online directly from the author.