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Coaching Your Daughter Through Friend Drama

Posted by dataperk on July 27, 2020

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    When Marie Claire was little, I often joked that I When Marie Claire was little, I often joked that I should have named her “Joy” because she was so easy, cheerful, and funny. At age 18, on the brink of her high school graduation, this still rings true, and I can’t even begin to imagine our home without her because it just makes me so sad😭😭 Marie Claire, you bring laughter and smiles wherever you go, and we are so proud of the young woman you’ve become. Even if you see me crying these next few weeks, know that we truly can’t wait to see you soar next year. Auburn, take good care of my girl, you are getting a treasure!!!🧡💙 Thank you for these beautiful senior photos @heatherswannerphotography!! #classof2025 #senioryear #mbhs #auburnbound
    When I was in the thick of raising teenage girls, When I was in the thick of raising teenage girls, there were certain doctors we visited often….and our dermatologist was one of them. Dr. Meg Cherry of @renewdermbham got us through breakouts, acne, and other skin issues, and she’s been my guide too as I try to undo the skin mistakes I made as a teenager in the 80’s whose only goal every summer was to achieve a savage Bain de Soleil tan 🤦🏻‍♀️ My lack of sunscreen is now a regret, and my hope is that this next generation will be much smarter than their moms in taking proper care of their beautiful young skin. New on the Girl Mom Podcast, Dr. Cherry talk about age-appropriate skincare for teen & tween girls. What’s good for their skin - and what may be harmful? How do you respond when your 10-year-old wants all the beauty products being peddled by Tik Tok influencers? What science-based evidence can you give your daughter about not doing too much too soon? Comment SKIN and I’ll DM the episode link to you, or find it wherever you listen to podcasts. This is great one to enjoy with your daughter!
    One verse I keep thinking of in 2025 is 1 Timothy One verse I keep thinking of in 2025 is 1 Timothy 4:12: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” Again and again, I see faith growing in the next generation. I see spiritual maturity and influence beyond their years. Here are recent random examples: 1. My 9th grader reads and annotates her Bible like she would a book from English class. Many of her friends do too. She learned this from her college sister, who taught her to look up commentary in Enduring Word. I never imagined that her young mind could get this, but she’s proved me wrong. 2. My friend Anna’s 8th grade son, Wells, started a Bible club. He did it after an 11th grade boy in Bigtime Ministry (who he looks up to) pulled him aside and said, “Hey, I see leadership qualities in you. You should start a Bible study.” Well, that made him act! And I wasn’t surprised to learn that the 11th grader’s mom is someone I deeply admire too. When Anna told a friend about this, her friend invited Wells to speak to the 4th grade Bible club. He and 2 friends talked about being Christian athletes and learning to tame the tongue. This is how we’re made to live…and how the light spreads as we pass on what we are given to those behind us! 3. A precious girl at Auburn shared her prayer wall that helps her be intentional and thankful. When I shared this in a story, it got a ton of positive feedback. @millerannemayernick comes from a deeply faithful family, and watching how she and her sisters have navigated their father’s Lou Gehrig’s diagnosis can only be described as the work of the Holy Spirit. Pray for him and this family that radiates the heart of Jesus. 4. A mom in my church small group told us that her 5th grader’s Bible club had an exceptional dynamic. She was so grateful for the moms leading it - and so touched when they gave the boys personalized Bibles as Lent began. Only God knows what will happen through these seeds being planted. I have more stories like this, and you probably do too. Feel free to share what gives you hope for our kids and their generation 🕊️
    Friends, I have exciting news!!!!!📣 📣 I’ Friends, I have exciting news!!!!!📣 📣 I’ve written a new book for girl moms that launches Sept. 16. I can’t wait to share this message with you! IS YOUR DAUGHTER READY? is my follow-up to LOVE HER WELL. It’s my best advice for you moms behind me based on 22 years of raising girls + 1000s of interactions with mothers and daughters today. We’ll never be perfect moms, but we can be intentional moms. My favorite parenting motto has always been “Prepare your child for the road, not the road for your child” and whether your daughter is 6 or 16, this book can help you focus on what matters most during her 18 years at home. It’s your guide to the paradoxical journey of teaching your daughter how to live in the light—yet also prepare for the dark. Helping her navigate hard realities without letting reality harden her. As you know, pre-orders are huge for authors, and your early support means the world to me. You can pre-order through my bio link or comment BOOK and I’ll message it to you. Save your receipt because we’ve got amazing preorder bonuses coming, all designed to help you empower, encourage, and equip your girl. Our world needs your daughter - and your daughter needs YOU. It’s an honor to speak into your motherhood journey, and counting down the days until September 16 when you can hold this book in your hands!🩷 #isyourdaughterreadybook #girlmom #mothersanddaughters #raisinggirls #empoweringgirlsthroughfaith #raisingteens #thomasnelson #wpublishing #girlmompodcast
    Moms with high school seniors: I’ve gotten a lo Moms with high school seniors: I’ve gotten a lot of requests lately for dorm room links, so I’ve updated my list. Find links in my bio or comment DORM and I’ll share my newsletter packed with details, especially if your child is Bama-bound or Auburn-bound (I have girls at both schools). We use Dorm Decor @dormdecor.inc here in Birmingham for the pretty things and many practical items too🩷 They are the best….so friendly, knowledgeable and helpful….and whether you’re buying 2 items or furnishing your entire dorm room, they got you covered. Dorm Decor items resell very well, they deliver to many Southern schools, and they make your life easy by having key information and room measurements on hand. It’s well worth visiting the store in person, and doing it with your roommate and her mom makes for a fun day. Make an appointment since their busy season is kicking in! Also, a lot of people ask where I got the “Love You” painting in Sophie’s dorm room in Tutwiler. My friend @nellkoopmanart made it, and she is currently taking orders too. Having a high school senior brings a mixed bag of emotions😢, especially as the countdown is on. Planning the dorm room adds some joy to that last semester, and there’s a way to do it without breaking the bank if you start early and are intentional. I’m doing it for the 3rd time and reusing many things that I bought the 1st round, so for basics like headboards and bedskirts, I recommend white since it works with so many different looks. #dormroom #dormdecor #collegebound #bamadormroom #classof2025
    Happy Easter from the Kampakis family. And Christo Happy Easter from the Kampakis family. And Christos Anesti to our Greek Orthodox friends🕊️ Today in church, as we celebrated the resurrection of Christ, I thought of my friend who lost her spouse shortly before Easter 11 years ago. When we visited her home that afternoon, expecting Easter to be an extra-hard day, she told us that it had been a surprisingly good day. She had told her children, “Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we’ll get to see Daddy again.” Amen to that 🙏🏻 This perspective embodies the fullness of the Christian faith, and it changes everything. It allows us to eventually find hope and peace even as we wrestle with pain and grief. Because of Jesus, the best is yet to come. Death has been defeated because He is risen. “The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” Matthew 28:5-6
    There’s a Sugarland song that talks about how th There’s a Sugarland song that talks about how there are some hands you shake in life….and some hands you hold. 50/50 friends are the hands you shake. You can be friendly and cordial, you can enjoy your time together, but deep in your heart you know these aren’t deeply committed friends. Real hands are the hands you hold. You journey through life together and cling tighter when times get tough. These are the girls who become lifelong sisters of the heart. New on my Substack, for paid subscribers, is a deeper dive into this topic that teenage girls tell me is the #1 thing that’s helped them from my book #10truths. Comment REAL and I’ll message the article link to you🤍
    Society loves to commiserate over the misery of ra Society loves to commiserate over the misery of raising teens. For mom girls, what we hear as we cradle newborn babies swaddled in pink is, “Enjoy that angel while you can because when she’s a teenager, she’ll be a nightmare!” Um, thanks for the advice?????🤔🫤 😇 I wrote #loveherwellbook because I wanted a realistic yet optimistic guide to raising teen daughters. I wanted more than the negative scripts that older moms often pass down. I was adamant that this book have a positive cover & title. All the books I saw about teenage girls had titles like “How to Hug a Porcupine - Tween Version”, and I told my editors that if my daughters walked into my bedroom and saw that on my bedside table, it wouldn’t exactly open the door to wanting a relationship. It’d be like me walking into their bedroom and seeing a book titled “How to Love a Difficult Mom.” Doesn’t warm the heart, right? I wanted a cover that makes our daughters think, “At least my mom is trying. She’s not perfect, but she sure does loves me.” That was my goal. Yes, teenagers are hard, challenging, and tricky. They’re also amazing, fun, and delightful. The scripts we choose matter, and it helps to remember what my friend heard God tell her during a fighting season with her daughter: “The battle for your daughter’s heart is won in prayer.” Always remember who the real enemy is. Whether you’re raising a daughter or a son, they need us, and we need God to give us the wisdom to pick our battles wisely. Comment LOVE and I’ll send you the link to my bestselling book LOVE HER WELL, which moms often tell me they read again and again🩷
    “Great attention is paid these days to the subje “Great attention is paid these days to the subject of ‘mean girls.’ For moms raising daughters, it’s a hot topic—a topic that adults can, understandably, get fired up about. Many people talk about mean girls as if females have a monopoly on cruel behavior, but I hear stories all the time from the boy world that are worse than mean girl saga. What we have is not a gender issue, but a societal issue. In short, we live in a mean age. We have a culture shaping our children that is darker, more narcissistic, and less empathetic than the culture that shaped us. And while some mean people will change—and grow up to deeply regret the pain they once caused—others won’t. Instead, they’ll grow up, raise mean daughters and sons, and become one big mean family. It’s sad when the cycle repeats itself, but it happens. It’s part of the broken world we live in. While some people soften with age, others get more hardened. It’s best to keep a safe distance from the people who only get worse.” New on my Substack, temporarily free, are talking points to use with your daughter (or son) when they get targeted with mean behavior. Comment TALK and I’m message you the article. Also, make sure you subscribe to my Substack to get all my articles as soon as they’re published. Paid subscribers get access to the full archives❤️
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