Homeschooling Your Daughter to Be a Proverbs 31 Woman
In today’s world, many Christian mothers are choosing to homeschool their daughters with the goal of raising them to be godly, biblical women. Preparing your daughter for marriage by teaching her the virtues and skills of a Proverbs 31 woman is not only possible but also a rewarding journey. This approach involves focusing on homemaking, modesty, wisdom, and practical skills that will help her fill her hope chest—both literally and spiritually—before marriage, or anything else the Lord may have for her.
Proverbs 31 Woman: The Biblical Woman Model
The Proverbs 31 woman is often considered the gold standard for Christian wives and mothers. This passage highlights numerous qualities and practical skills that your daughter can develop. Let’s break down some key aspects of Proverbs 31 and see how these can be incorporated into your homeschool curriculum.
Before all of this, a biblical woman should know how to pray! After all, her job in the home, loving her husband, raising her children will be her ministry. Ministry calls for much prayer. For some help on how to learn to pray, I’ve got a printable and prayer memory cards!\
1. Work with Wool, Flax, and Her Hands (Proverbs 31:13)
“She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.” – Proverbs 31:13
Teach your daughter skills like sewing, knitting, crocheting, lace-making, and other forms of handiwork. These are valuable homemaking skills that enable her to clothe herself, her family, and even create quality items to sell. Working with her hands not only fosters creativity but also encourages a strong work ethic.
Practical Activities:
- Introduce sewing and knitting projects for clothing or household items. Check out my Learn to Sew Series!
- Teach the basics of crochet, quilting, or lacework.
- Encourage her to create handcrafted gifts or products for the home.
2. Resourcefulness and Providing for Her Household (Proverbs 31:14-15)
“She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.” – Proverbs 31:14-15
Contrary to the common belief that only a man can provide for the family, the Biblical woman should earn an income. While I don’t believe a woman needs a career, or to be out of the home, I do think every wife should be an enterpreneur! A homemaker can sell almost anything she creates for her own home these days.
In addition to selling hand crafted goods, a godly woman knows how to provide for her family through resourcefulness. Teach your daughter how to plan and manage a household, including meal planning, budgeting, and shopping wisely. She should have the skills to build and manage a food supply, cook from scratch, make frugal replacements, and above all, be content. A biblical homemaker must also know how to delegate tasks and ensure the household runs smoothly.
Practical Activities:
- Teach meal preparation, cooking, and baking.
- Discuss budgeting for groceries and household needs.
- Assign small household tasks to encourage time management and delegation.
3. Buying Real Estate and Planning for the Future (Proverbs 31:16)
“She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.” – Proverbs 31:16
This verse highlights wisdom in investment and future planning. Your daughter should learn the importance of setting goals, managing resources, and planning ahead. Whether it’s through planting a garden or saving money, these principles will help her become a good steward of her family’s resources.
Practical Activities:
- Teach gardening skills, such as planting fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
- Encourage her to plan a small investment project (even if it’s just a craft she can sell).
- Discuss financial management and saving for the future.
- Learn some basic real estate principals like how the market fluctuate, how a transaction is processed, and making wise choices in home buying.
4. Strength and Fitness (Proverbs 31:17)
“She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.” – Proverbs 31:17
A biblical woman should take care of her health and body. Encourage your daughter to stay active and strong, not just for physical beauty but for the stamina required to care for a family and manage a home. She doesn’t have to be a star athlete- in fact I don’t recommend that. But she will one day need to chase babies, move furniture, assist her husband. Consider the possibility that the Lord may call her husband to foreign missions and she will need her fitness and survival skills on a daily basis. She should learn those things now to be fully prepared to serve the Lord!
Practical Activities:
- Include daily physical activity in her homeschool routine, such as walking, exercise, or sports.
- Teach the importance of good nutrition and self-care.
- Consider training activities and practice for emergency situation, off grid living, hiking, etc.
5. Quality Handiwork (Proverbs 31:19-22, 24)
“She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff… She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.” – Proverbs 31:19, 24
Your daughter can learn to make quality items for her family and to sell. Whether it’s handmade linens or clothing, this skill will not only beautify her home but could also be a means of extra income for her future family.
Here at Plain Living, one of my goals is to make training easily available for biblical womanhood. It is so hard to find resources on how to teach this our daughter. Sure, there is plenty of content about homemaking, creating routines, learning skills. For example, Take my Learn to Sew series where I walk the absolute beginner throughout the basics, then teach projects with no patterns necessary.
But nothing comprehensive to help us guide our daughters into being a biblical woman!
This knowledge used to be common- part of the process of creating the hope chest. I plan to develop tutorials and curriculum for crochet, knitting, soap making, cooking from scratch, canning, pantry management, laundry, essential oils, frugal replacements, baking, web design and more! Any of these things can be turned into a small income once the she masters the skill.
Practical Activities:
- Work on learning handicrafts and other skills. Read scriptures about the biblical woman to see what she set as the example. Try Sewing, knitting crochet, soap making, etc.
- Consider teaching her basic business skills for selling handmade items.
- Learn to create an online store with handmade products. Try Etsy, eBay, or create a custom website on WordPress or Shopify!
6. Wisdom and Kindness (Proverbs 31:26)
“She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” – Proverbs 31:26
Instilling wisdom and kindness in your daughter is essential. Teach her how to speak with love, respond with grace, and offer wisdom in her words. Next, describe how this reflects a heart that is aligned with God’s will and fosters peaceful, loving relationships within the home. Naturally, a woman who speaks out of turn, with an ugly spirit, or with a harsh tone is usually a self centered woman who finds it hard to keep friends, and will be insecure due to her failed relationship. Therefore, kindness is the best policy, but it takes practice to hone this skill to perfection.
Practical Activities:
- Memorize scriptures about wisdom and kindness (Proverbs 3:13-18, Proverbs 15:1).
- Model and discuss scenarios where she can practice kind words and wise decisions.
- Make habit of speaking kindly to siblings or doing things for them for no reason!
Titus 2: Becoming a Keeper at Home
Titus 2 offers further instructions on raising daughters to be godly wives and mothers. These verses teach young women to love their husbands, children, and homes, while also being discreet, chaste, and obedient.
1. Love for Husband and Children (Titus 2:4)
“That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children.” – Titus 2:4
Even before she is married, teach your daughter the biblical importance of family. Preparing her to love her future husband and children begins with nurturing her heart for selflessness, patience, and devotion. We can’t fill the teen years with sports events, idolize a career and education, and always be out and about, then suddenly expect our daughters to want to be at home caring for their family. We must make family life center around the home and instill that in our children.
Practical Activities:
- Have conversations about the biblical roles of a wife and mother.
- Work with love and joy to inspire your daughter to want to follow in your footsteps.
- Encourage activities that promote nurturing and care, such as babysitting or helping with younger siblings.
2. Keeping the Home (Titus 2:5)
“To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” – Titus 2:5
A godly woman manages her household efficiently, practicing discretion and modesty. Teaching your daughter to be a keeper at home includes cleaning, organizing, and creating a peaceful environment where her family can thrive. To keep something is to maintain its safety and condition. Lead by example in your home by creating lasting memories in your home. The goal is for “home” to be a feeling, not a place!
One great way to express love for your family and create deep bonds is to cook from scratch. There is just something emotional about working with your hands to create a delicious meal for those you love. Teach your daughter to cook from scratch with whole foods and nutritious ingredients. Help her learn and experiment with sourdough. Try some of my Sourdough the Simple Way recipes:
- Chicken Enchilada Hot Pockets
- Sourdough chicken broccoli hot pockets
- Sourdough Biscuits
- Sourdough Chicken Pot Pie
Practical Activities:
- Teach organization and cleaning routines.
- Practice hospitality and homemaking skills by hosting family dinners or tea parties.
- involve your daughter in creating home decor, nurturing the atmosphere of your home, completing home renovation projects on a budget.
Modesty and Sobriety: 1 Timothy 2:9-10
Modesty and sobriety are essential qualities for a biblical woman. In 1 Timothy 2:9-10, women are instructed to dress modestly and to exhibit good works.
1. Modest Apparel (1 Timothy 2:9)
“In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety.” – 1 Timothy 2:9
Teach your daughter to dress in a way that reflects her inner character. Modest clothing does not draw undue attention but reflects a heart focused on purity and grace. Allow her to recognize the lack of modest clothing available commercially. This made lead into a wonderful conversation about the skills to craft her own clothing and motivate her to learn to sew.
Modesty is a matter of the heart, and immodest clothing is a physical representation of rebellion. Certainly be cautious with this subject if your daughter is not yet saved. in addition, be careful not to create a haughty spirit by camparison to others. That, in fact, is not modest.
Practical Activities:
- Discuss biblical standards of modesty and why they are important.
- Involve your daughter in selecting or creating modest, beautiful clothing for her wardrobe.
2. Sobriety and Good Works (1 Timothy 2:10)
“But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” – 1 Timothy 2:10
Sobriety refers to being level-headed and serious about one’s responsibilities. Teach your daughter the importance of maintaining a sober mind in her decisions and actions, while also being diligent in good works. TO be sober also requires not being overtaken by emotion. This skill will take practice. You must coach her through there situations so she may learn.
Practical Activities:
- Engage in charitable work as a family, teaching the importance of serving others.
- Encourage regular Bible study to foster a sober, focused mind on spiritual matters.
- When she allows her emotions to rule her actions, be a safe place where she knows you will listen. But be prepared to talk through the event and counsel her toward better reactions. You must be the example in this area, so go area and learn to be sober yourself.
Filling a Hope Chest with Skills for the Future
There are so many other areas of life where a young woman can build a skill that will one day bless her family. In this world of technology, don’t be afraid for your daughter to learn tech skills. Graphic design, photography, web design and editing, video editing, and more can all be wonderful outlets for creativity. These skills are all useful to ministry as well, which is an excellent motivator!
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By focusing on these biblical teachings and practical skills, your daughter will be prepared to fill her hope chest not just with physical items, but with godly character, wisdom, and talents. Whether it’s a handcrafted item she’s made, or the wisdom she’s gained from Scripture, each piece represents her preparation for her future role as a wife and mother.
As you homeschool your daughter with these biblical values, you are nurturing her into a strong, capable, and godly woman, fit to build her home and bless her future family. The goal is to prepare her heart, mind, and hands to serve God in all aspects of her life, while embodying the timeless virtues of the Proverbs 31 woman.
What else would you work on to add to your daughters hope chest?
