Dear Daughter, Be the Girl Who Lives Out Love

Our fall favorites are here! 🍂

Dear daughter,

Be the girl who reaches behind and pulls the next person up to where you are at in life. Do this because you know that success isn’t finite and there’s enough room at the top for everyone.

Be the girl who waits at the finish line until the rest of the team crosses. Recognize their effort, not what place they earned. People will always remember how you made them feel, not where you finished.

Be the first to congratulate someone when they get what you want. Try to be happy for them even when your heart is breaking.

Be the girl who gently tells another woman that she has food in her teeth or a tag on her shirt or toilet paper on her shoe. Mocking someone else’s misfortune isn’t cool.

Be the girl who has a firm handshake and looks people in the eye. Remember that a simple hello and smile can change someone’s day.

Be the girl who doesn’t seek approval from others. It never feels as good as when you are happy with yourself.

Be the girl who knows that not everyone will like her, no matter how hard you try. You can be the juiciest, ripest peach in the bushel, but some people just don’t like peaches.

Be the girl who sets goals and works hard to achieve them. Encourage your friends to chase their dreams, too, and then support each other every step of the way.

Be the girl who tells another girl that there’s always room for one more. Remember that life is not an exclusive club.

Be the girl who says no: no to dangerous situations, to doing things before you are ready, to decisions that you can’t take back. You shouldn’t have to put yourself in jeopardy to get someone else to like you.

Be the girl who loves herself, because what’s not to love?

Dear daughter, be the girl, become the woman, you were born to be.

Because for you sweet girl, the only thing we truly want you to be is happy.

So God Made a Mother book by Leslie Means

If you liked this, you'll love our new book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!

Order Now

Her View Shop

be the girl daughter dear daughter girl mom kindness raising a daughter teen tween

Whitney Fleming

Whitney is a mom of three teen daughters, a freelance writer, and co-partner of the site parentingteensandtweens.com You can find her on Facebook at WhitneyFlemingWrites.

To the Parents Facing a Child’s Illness: You Are Strong

In: Grief, Kids, Motherhood

Toddler with cast and IV looking out window

If you are the parents who just sat for hours in a cold doctor’s office to hear that your child has a life-threatening illness, you are so strong. If you are the parents who can’t bring yourself to decorate or celebrate the unknown because you don’t know if they’ll ever come home, you are so strong. If you are the parents who travel or relocate to deliver your child in one of the best hospitals with hopes it will change the outcome, you are so strong. If you are the parents who learn all the medical terminology so you understand...

Keep Reading

I Am a Mother Evolving

In: Grown Children, Kids, Motherhood, Teen

Mother and child walking by water in black and white photo

Those who mean well squawk the refrain— “The days are long, but the years are short.” They said I would miss it— little feet and newborn baby smell nursing in the wee hours with a tiny hand clutching mine. Tying shoes, playing tooth fairy, soothing scary dreams. They were fine times, but I do not wish them back. RELATED: Mamas, Please Quit Mourning Your Children Growing Up I rather enjoy these days of my baby boy suddenly looking like a young man in a baseball uniform on a chilly Wednesday in April. And my Amazonian teenage girl with size 11...

Keep Reading

Kids Need Grace and So Do Their Moms

In: Faith, Kids, Motherhood, Toddler

We were having a hard morning. Our house was overrun with toys, I hadn’t had a chance to get dressed, and my stress level was increasing by the minute. To top it all off, my 3-year-old was having a meltdown anytime I spoke to her. Even looking in her general direction was a grave mistake. It was one of those days that as a parent, you know you’re really in for it. I was quickly losing my patience. My frustration began to ooze out of me. I snapped orders, stomped around, and my attitude quite clearly was not pleasant to...

Keep Reading

As a Nurse, This Is How I Prepared My Daughter for Her First Period

In: Kids, Motherhood, Teen, Tween

Woman wearing sunglasses with hands on the sides of her face and smiling, black and white photo

I don’t remember my first period, which means my mother had me well prepared. This doesn’t mean I was okay with it. I remember feeling awkward and tense each time. And honestly, for many years, shopping for feminine hygiene products filled me with unease. But wait a minute! There shouldn’t be anything shameful about something that will recur for about half of a woman’s life! Who decided it was to be a sensitive subject? Aren’t we all supposed to show empathy toward each other when it comes to this? I say, pass the Midol around, sister! I knew the time...

Keep Reading

With Grandkids, It’s The Little Things

In: Kids, Living, Motherhood

Nine children sitting on a couch together

We had just pulled into the driveway when our youngest grandtwins, 3-year-old Ellis and Brady, came running out the front door and down the steps to hug us. “Let me see your earrings, Grandma,” Ellis said, reaching up to pull me down to his level. “The green M&Ms! I told you, Brady!” “Those are the ones our brother Adler picked out for you!” Brady yelled as he ushered us into the house and started going through the tote bag I always carry for them, filled with favorite books from our house and three little bags of snacks in the bottom....

Keep Reading

Childhood Is Not a Race

In: Kids, Motherhood, Tween

Two young girls playing in creek bed, color photo

Sweet child, I know you want to grow up. You want to get older and do more and more. I see you changing day after day. You are no longer a little girl, but you’re turning into a young lady. You’re becoming this wonderful person who leads and cares for others. It’s a beautiful thing to watch. But don’t rush out of your childhood. It’s this beautiful season where wonder and discovery live. It’s this beautiful time when you don’t have to carry the weight of adulthood. It’s this beautiful time. Savor it. Slow down and enjoy it. Breathe in...

Keep Reading

There’s Something Special about Band Kids

In: Kids

There is something incredibly special about band kids. The hours of practice that begin in elementary school. It’s the squeaking and squawking of a new alto or the flutter of early flute days, high-pitched honks from a trumpet, constant and consistent tapping . . . drumming on everything. And gallons of spit too, until one day a few years down the road, you realize all that practice time has turned into an incredible melody and skill. The alarm that goes off at 5:35 a.m., and before most people are awake, band kids have sleepily found a quick breakfast bite, grabbed...

Keep Reading

You’ll Grow So Much In Kindergarten and I Can’t Wait to Watch

In: Kids

Two young children in backpacks walk toward a school building

On her seventh day of school, my kindergartener doesn’t cry. It was a long road to this day. For the first six days of school, we experienced varying degrees of screaming, clinging, running back inside our house and slamming the door, and expressing general displeasure with the whole idea of school. “I wanna stay home with YOU, Mommy!” “But Charlotte, you are bored out of your mind every day of the summer. You hate it.” “No I don’t. I LOVE IT.” “Well we can spend every afternoon after school and all weekend together. You’ll be tired of me in five...

Keep Reading

Six Feels So Much Bigger

In: Child, Kids, Motherhood

Six . . . Six is only one number more than five, one grade, one year . . . but it feels so different. Five is baby teeth and new beginnings. Five is venturing out into the world, maybe making a friend. Meeting a teacher. Learning to ride a bike. Six took my breath away. Six looks like a loose front tooth—tiny and wiggly, soon to be replaced by a big tooth, one that will stay forever. Six looks like a bright purple bike zooming down the driveway. RELATED: When There Are No More Little Girls’ Clothes Six looks like playing...

Keep Reading

There’s Something Special about Football Boys

In: Kids, Motherhood, Teen, Tween

Football captains lined up at 50-yard line, color photo

There’s something about football boys. Maybe it’s the sunrise practices when the heat is too strong mid-afternoon. Or maybe it’s the late nights lying in their beds, studying game film long after practice has ended and once their homework is done. Maybe it’s the way they look under the Friday night lights, with pads over their broad shoulders and light reflecting off their glossy helmets. Maybe it’s intangible, something that can only be felt deep in the heart as you watch them run through the paper banner, past the cheerleaders and fans, and onto the field. Yeah, it’s true, there’s...

Keep Reading

My Mom Left Me Everything When She Went to Heaven

Grief

My Mom Left Me Everything When She Went to Heaven

I Am a Struggling New Mom

Motherhood

Dear Daughter, Be the Girl Who Lives Out Love

Dear daughter,

Be the girl who doesn’t seek approval from others. It never feels as good as when you are happy with yourself.

Dear daughter, be the girl, become the woman, you were born to be.

If you liked this, you'll love our new book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!

Her View Shop

Whitney Fleming

To the Parents Facing a Child’s Illness: You Are Strong

I Am a Mother Evolving

Kids Need Grace and So Do Their Moms

As a Nurse, This Is How I Prepared My Daughter for Her First Period

With Grandkids, It’s The Little Things

Childhood Is Not a Race

There’s Something Special about Band Kids

You’ll Grow So Much In Kindergarten and I Can’t Wait to Watch

Six Feels So Much Bigger

There’s Something Special about Football Boys

free email bonus

5 Ways to Connect with Your Kids

A National Bestseller!

Order So God Made a Mother

Dear Daughter, Be the Girl Who Lives Out Love

Dear daughter,

Be the girl who doesn’t seek approval from others. It never feels as good as when you are happy with yourself.

Dear daughter, be the girl, become the woman, you were born to be.

If you liked this, you'll love our new book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available now!

Her View Shop

To the Parents Facing a Child’s Illness: You Are Strong

I Am a Mother Evolving

Kids Need Grace and So Do Their Moms

As a Nurse, This Is How I Prepared My Daughter for Her First Period

With Grandkids, It’s The Little Things

Childhood Is Not a Race

There’s Something Special about Band Kids

You’ll Grow So Much In Kindergarten and I Can’t Wait to Watch

Six Feels So Much Bigger

There’s Something Special about Football Boys

Previous Post

Next Post

You May Also Like

5 Ways to Connect with Your Kids