8-week program
Ages 11+
In this Activity Guide, mothers or female caregivers and their daughters join together in combined and age-appropriate groups to strengthen their bonds through shared listening, creative expression, and skill building. "Heart of the Matter" promotes empathy, communication skills, stress reduction, setting limits and honoring boundaries, exploring meanings and messages about female identity, identifying relationship accountability, and experiencing affirmation together and within their broader female community. Co-facilitation recommended.
| Week |
Theme |
Activity/Description |
| 1 |
Building Safety |
Mothers/Daughters: Where Do You Stand?; Storytelling; Visions of Hope Exchange |
| 2 |
Healthy Communication |
Facilitator Skits of Common Mother-Daughter Patterns; Mother/Daughter Circle Listening Activity; Discussion and Application of Strengths-Based Approaches |
| 3 |
Communicating Under Stress |
Role-Plays: Conflict Skits using empathic communication and strengths-based approaches; Designing a “Healthy Communication” Vision Board |
| 4 |
Building and Deepening Trust |
Trust Exercise with Discussion; Writing and Pair Share: Letter to Teen Self (Mothers); Letter to Younger Girls Self |
| 5 |
Meeting Expectations and Needs |
Creating Do’s and Don’ts List; Yoga Balancing Posture; 5 S.T.E.P.S. Presentation,Demonstration and Role-Plays |
| 6 |
Road Trip to Relationships: Mapping Out Agreements |
Life Maps – Focusing on Connection |
| 7 |
Forecast: Success! |
“Talk Show: Mothers and Daughters Tell the Real Story"; Mother/Daughter “Recipes for Success” |
| 8 |
Mother/Daughter Appreciation Ceremony |
Circle of Recognition; Group Appreciation Ceremony |
