This weekend, The Teenager and I were in Marina Del Ray, as part of the launch of the app and website, Be Maverick. The Teenager is one of a handful of women her age, poised to encourage other young girls to find their power, their voice, their thing. #DoYourThing, the mantra. I am, as you know, a huge supporter of All Things Girl. Try it. You may enjoy it. The Teenager spoke to an audience filled with young girls and their parents; originally slated to do a stand up set, the ethos of Know Your Audience came in handy. Her set? Not this audience. She pivoted, and did a gentler version of her Ten Things I Learned In High School spoken word, unpacking each point, emphasizing the message of Being Who You Are. Watching The Teenager talk to the young women afterwards was an emotional moment for me—the tiny faces tilted up, to my child, seeking something, something beyond an autograph. Validation from your peers, from your elders, from your inspiration is a powerful stamp. Later, I was part of a panel of Moms and a Dad—all of us parents to Maverick girls—speaking about what we know best now in our lives, parenting. I talked a little about being a solo parent, about having my child’s back, about imbuing her with independence. My favorite part of the panel was the question and answer portion: as parents, we are constantly looking for versions of answers to Are We Doing A Good Job? It’s hard to know, really. We’re learning how to be parents on a daily basis. We cull from our experiences as our parents’ children, from watching others parent, from our children themselves. We are on the front lines of our own lives, as people who are parents. It’s important to remember a few things when you are a parent: that you were, at one point, child-free, that you were once a child/a teenager, that there is no report card. What there is is your love, your support, and occasionally your tears. It was great to connect with the women and men in the audience, to be able to share our experiences, and listen to theirs. I realized I’d like to do more panels like this, with parents. I’d like women in particular to know that they are not alone in this. And I’m here to help.

My little brother turns fifty years old today.

It’s Tony Season! Congratulations to Tina Fey and Team Mean Girls!

I love this hashtag Thank You Cecile.

Catherine Connors and Brooke Chaffin are Mavericks.

Go Ashley go.

You too, Michelle Wolf, you too.

Years ago, I dated a man who was a huge Maira Kalman fan, and now so am I.

Babies at 50.

Get that colonoscopy ladies.

And now have a laugh with Michelle Wolf.