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    When I was a teenager, I was vain and self-centere When I was a teenager, I was vain and self-centered. I thought about myself obsessively and stared into the mirror for hours to catalog every flaw.

When I made the cheer squad and my two best friends didn’t, it never occurred to me how disappointed they might feel because I felt so happy.

And then there was my babysitting business — inspired not by my love of kids but by my love for fashion and the need for cash to stay trendy.

In short, I lived in a bubble. I thought the universe revolved around me. While I was kindhearted and friendly to others, I had a lot of growing up to do. I was a typical teenager: self-conscious, self-critical, and overly concerned with people’s opinions of me.

I had to jog these memories as I started to write for teen girls. It took me several attempts to find the right voice, until one day my editor told me, “If you sound like a mom, the girls will stop reading. Write instead like a big sister or wise best friend. Remember yourself at their age. Channel your teenage self.”

It sounded fun — at first — to channel my teenage self. But as I dug into my past and unburied forgotten memories, I started to cringe and want a do-over. 

Chances are, you have memories from your past that make you cringe as well. Events or remarks that you aren’t proud of and wish you could undo.

If you take a minute to think about them and consider how far you’ve come, it will soften your heart toward your teenager. You may find extra patience for dealing with the temporary flaws you see right now.

Your daughter is a work in progress, just like you and me. Who she is at age thirteen, sixteen, or even twenty-six is not who she will be as a mature adult. Beneath the vanity and self-absorption commonly seen in teenagers is a diamond in the rough. There is a deeply impressionable girl whom God is still working on — and who craves the unshakable love of her mother in every stage and season.

*From my bestselling book for moms LOVE HER WELL: 10 WAYS TO FIND JOY AND CONNECTION WITH YOUR TEENAGE DAUGHTER 🤍

#loveherwellbook #girlmom #raisingteens #girlmompodcast  #mothersanddaughters
    Years ago we had a school athlete who started seni Years ago we had a school athlete who started senior year with five D1 Colleges offering him scholarships. 

But as he had an injury he didn’t fully recover from, the offers disappeared. In a blink, his identity as a star athlete was gone.

At some point, every child faces a dark night or a curveball. Circumstances can change overnight - and rip the carpet out from under them. 

But when our children root their identity in Christ, they’ll still be standing. They’ll have a lifeline to cling to even if they lose a gift that meant the world to them.

New on my Substack, for paid subscribers, is a message to prepare your child for their hardest moments. Middle school is where the rubber hits the road, so instill these truths early. Know that God can call them to mind when your child needs hope most. 

COMMENT BELOW and I’ll message you the link🤍

This message comes from #isyourdaughterreadybook. Find link in my bio or wherever books are sold.
    Speaking at schools has become one of my favorite Speaking at schools has become one of my favorite things, and it was an honor to share a message at Huntsville’s Westminster Christian @wca1964, first at a night event for parents and then a morning assembly for the 6th-12th boys & girls. A huge thank you to Louis LeBlanc for inviting me to come and everyone who made it happen. Westminster is a wonderful school with great leadership too!!
    Harry and I binge-watched 5 episodes last night an Harry and I binge-watched 5 episodes last night and saved 1 for tonight. It is FANTASTIC!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Even better than I expected.

ESPN nailed it in telling a story with 10,000 moving parts. The way they weaved Saban’s backstory into his greatest coaching decisions reminded me of “This is Us” and painted a very comprehensive portrait of the life of a legend.

Whoever you cheer for, this is worth watching. He is so wise, and it’s cool to see how God prepared him for greatness through vastly different mentors along the way. 

The best part, of course, is the influence of Miss Terry in shaping the Nick Saban we know today❤️ There are no words for Miss Terry and their marriage that reminds me so much of my parents. Nick and Terry Saban created an extraordinary life together, from humble beginnings that included dinner at Shoney’s on their wedding night😅, and our children need to hear more love stories like theirs and see what marriage is meant to do when two people truly love each other and work toward common goals. 

All this to say, who else watched this last night? What are your thoughts and favorite parts?
    New Substack article (temporary free) to help girl New Substack article (temporary free) to help girls be a good homecoming date.

Comment below and I’ll message you the link. 

Share it with your daughter or favorite group of girls and use it as a launching pad for conversation about how to treat each other like brothers and sisters in Christ🤍
    We’re huge fans of @cookie_fix in the Kampakis hom We’re huge fans of @cookie_fix in the Kampakis home, and for years I’ve said that chocolate chip cookies should be Love Language #6 for Teenage Girls!

So, when Cookie Fix and I planned a collab, we decided to treat the Alabama KDs during their weekly “Dancing with the Stars” watch party at the @kappadeltaua house.

Thank you, Cookie Fix, for these delicious cookies that Sophie and her friends thoroughly enjoyed!!!🤩 Shout-out to @annemckinleywalker too for the making this awesome video and giving us a fun peek behind the scenes!
    When kids are little, they tend to naturally be dr When kids are little, they tend to naturally be drawn to kindness. 

But in middle school and sometimes high school (depending on the grade), many of the kindest girls fall through the cracks. They float from group to group yet don’t really have a firm place of belonging.

In many cases, they start to wonder if something is wrong with them. And after a certain point, their parents wonder too. 

The good news is, these girls are often the ones who thrive most as they leave home. Give it a little time, and their peers will gain the maturity to know a good friend (and a good soul) when they see it. The older they get, the more appreciated they become.

On my Substack, for paid subscribers, is a message of hope for girl moms called “When Kind Girls Fall Through the Cracks.” 

Comment KIND and I’ll message you the link. Or, find the link in my bio👆🏻 

This message comes from my newest book #isyourdaughterreadybook. Get your copy now (link in bio) and find encouragement to coach your daughter through the tricky waters of the teenage social scene🤍
    Birmingham’s Greek Food Festival at @holytrinityho Birmingham’s Greek Food Festival at @holytrinityholycrossbham never disappoints! Delicious food, dancing tricks, and repeat customers who come annually and feel right at home. We loved having Sophie’s Bama friends and Ella’s Auburn friends plus many others. Please come back next year! Opa!!🇬🇷
    As a writer for teen girls, I often think about wh As a writer for teen girls, I often think about what I’d say to the boys as well.

Sadly, there’s a real lack of resources (and people) investing in boys and teaching them what it means to “be a man.” Since many boys don’t even have great role models in their dads, the need is great.

Like everyone, I’ve been sickened by the Cornell story. It’s depraved and it sadly shows where we are as a culture. But the worst part to me are the Snapshot messages that treated her like public property. So many great young men would never make that choice, but as parents, we need to have more hard conversations about situations we hope our kids never face.

A few years ago, my friend’s nephew in college went to an apartment with his friend. There was a girl on the floor, passed out and drunk, and his friend was about to take advantage of her. Her nephew got mad and stopped him. He saved that girl from a lifetime of trauma.

I know how this boy was raised - and I know it’s no accident that anger was his instinctive response. His parents instilled a moral code in him, and when the stakes were high, that code kicked in. 

We need more boys like this, and I’m so thankful for every parent and spiritual leader who intentionally teaches boys today what it means to “be a man.” It all starts and ends with God, who gives us the eyes to see each other, first and foremost, as brothers and sisters in Christ.
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