Hang in There, Mama!

Uplifting, motivational guide for moms everywhere navigating challenging pre-teen and teenage years

Hang in There, Mama! Encouragement and Advice for Moms Raising Teens and Beyond uplifts moms by offering words of clarity, wisdom, and understanding for raising kids in the often-tumultuous phases of pre-teen and teenage years. Each chapter reveals raw, honest experiences of good and bad parenting days, from the highest joys to the worst failures, with key takeaways for readers to absorb. This book encourages moms to open the doors of communication, step out of their comfort zones, and come alongside other moms to reassure one another they are not alone on their motherhood journey.

Written by Ali Flynn, a prolific writer, speaker, influencer, certified English and Special Education teacher, this book explores topics including:

• The unavoidable nature of parenting mistakes, including a lack of patience
• Self-love and compassion as an antidote to those times when you feel completely lost
• Embracing juxtaposed emotions, like tearful smiles
• Living in the moment to get the most out of every step of your child's development
• Our children's growth as a catalyst to blossom ourselves

Hang in There, Mama! Encouragement and Advice for Moms Raising Teens and Beyond is an essential guide for moms seeking to recognize new boundaries and increased independence and illuminate the path towards healing, growth, and discovery.

Introduction xix

Part I Motherhood 1

You Are Not Alone 6

I’m Not “Just a Mom” 8

Losing Myself or Letting Go? 10

Hope in the New Day 13

Being a Mama 16

Blessings Are All Around Us 19

Mistakes Happen 21

You Are Enough 23

A Mother’s Love 26

Do You Love Yourself ? 28

I Am More 31

Pottery Wheel Spinning 34

Lunchbox Love Letters 37

The Evolving Journey of Motherhood 41

Hang in There, Mama. You’ve Got This! 44

Step-by-Step 46

I Have A Secret 50

I Cried Today 53

Self-Love 56

This Is Motherhood 60

Little Pep Talks As I Walk 62

Now I Get It 64

It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint 67

I’m Worthy Too 70

Here’s to You, Mama 73

A Mother’s Hope 74

Would You Know? 76

Part II Raising Teens 81

Holding On While Shifting 86

Falling Short, Maybe Not 89

The Open Road 92

Tearful Smile 96

If Only I Knew 99

Our Teens Need Us 101

24/7 104

Patiently Waiting 106

A Mother’s Warmth 108

Catch Me 110

Side-by-Side 112

Grace in the Dressing Room 115

Breathe, Mama 118

There, I Said It 120

Blooms of Life 123

Climbing Uphill 126

My Motherhood Journey 129

Remember When? 133

More Mistakes 137

Mama 139

Some Days Are Hard 141

One Rose and a Thorn 144

Lean In 146

Fighting Little Fires 150

A Peaceful Drive 153

Chaos and Truth 155

Decisions, Decisions 158

Don’t Give Up On Me, Mama 160

Life Changes 163

Part III Letting Go 167

Last Moments 174

How Is Today Already Here? 178

Is My Heart Ready? 181

The Nest 183

Missing You 186

It’s Hard to Let Go 190

I’m Trying 192

Always a Mom 195

Packed Bags 198

Goodbyes Are Hard 201

The Changing Season 204

Worn Out Shoes 207

Crying Over a Car 209

I’m Scared. 213

Luggage and Letting Go 216

Staying Strong 219

One of Those Moms 222

From Heartache to Happiness 224

Home 227

Broccoli 230

A New Season 233

What Do You Do? 236

The New Me 238

The Way Back Home 241

Empty Nest 243

To Go Back in Time 246

Coming Home 249

Acknowledgments 255

About the Author 257

ALI FLYNN is a prolific writer, speaker, influencer, certified English and Special Education teacher, and a mom to four daughters. She’s also the voice and creator behind the popular blog and website, Hang in There, Mama, where she shares raw and vulnerable stories about raising her daughters. Ali is on a mission to empower moms to prioritize self-care amidst the chaos of motherhood while also providing support and encouragement to moms so they feel less alone as they navigate their motherhood journey.

In Hang in There, Mama! Encouragement and Advice for Moms Raising Teens and Beyond, writer, speaker, and certified English and Special Education teacher, Ali Flynn, delivers an uplifting and inspiring new discussion about what it takes to raise kids during their teenage years. Flynn offers clarity, wisdom, and understanding for moms doing their best to navigate the good days and the bad. She explains how to deal with the highest joys and the worst failures, providing key takeaways for readers ready to step outside of their comfort zones.

The book explores the unavoidable nature of parenting mistakes, reinforcing the reality that no mother has an infinite well of patience and that even the best of us will sometimes make errors in judgment or say or do things we regret later. It acknowledges there will be mess-ups, but it also explains how you can move past those mistakes and put them in perspective, walking you through the development of a mindset that highlights value to yourself and your family.

Hang in There, Mama! is filled with bite-sized chapters that are perfect for busy moms on the go. It encourages you to open doors of communication and reassures you that you are not alone on your motherhood journey. You’ll learn to find the strength within to continue on a path filled with fulfilling experiences as you connect to your teen and beyond.

Ali Flynn has written an essential guide for moms everywhere who are ready to intentionally reset their boundaries for their benefit and the benefit of their children while discovering new ways to foster independence and a path towards healing and growth.

Praise for Hang in There, Mama!

“Flynn’s wise guidance helps mothers maintain vital connections with their teens while allowing necessary independence—the exact balance I encourage in my pediatric practice. This honest, heartfelt book will be a lifeline for mothers who need reassurance that their challenges are universal and that their unwavering love remains their teens’ most powerful anchor.”
—DR. HINA TALIB, Director of Adolescent Medicine at Atria Health Institute in New York City and Instagram’s @teenhealthdoc

“This book feels like sitting with a wiser version of yourself—one who sees your heart, your hope and your hard work, and knows exactly what to say. Ali’s words are a balm for the mother-wound and the modern world—offering truth, tenderness and the kind of togetherness that feels like home.”
—KIRSTEN M. COBABE, MSW

“Hang in There, Mama! takes on the problem mothers have faced for generations—losing ourselves when raising our children—and brilliantly flips the narrative. In a heartwarming and relatable way, Ali gives moms of all ages the permission and tools they need to become their best selves, which in turn helps us become the connected and compassionate parent our teens and young adults need during this transitional time.”
—WHITNEY FLEMING, author, You’re Not a Failure: My Teen Doesn’t Like Me Either and owner, Parenting Teens & Tweens blog

“Ali Flynn captures our hearts with her beautiful, raw, and deeply relatable words. Thank you, Ali, for walking alongside us as we navigate the wild and wonderful journey of raising children.”
—LESLIE MEANS, founder of Her View From Home and bestselling author of So God Made a Mother and So God Made a Grandma

“Hang in There, Mama! is the kind of book you didn’t know how much you needed until you pick it up—and suddenly, you feel seen, understood, and less alone. With tenderness, compassion, and hard-won wisdom, Ali Flynn meets you right where you are—in the mess, the beauty, the exhaustion, and the sacredness of motherhood.”
—SHERYL GOULD, parent educator, relationship coach, author, and founder of Moms of Tweens and Teens