Girls with Sole is the vision of Q104 Listener and Mom Liz Ferro of Rocky River. The non-profit organization uses fitness and wellness to empower the minds, bodies and souls of girls who have experienced abuse. Liz herself is a survivor and now mom to two beautiful kids and a triathlete!

Athletics helped her survive and thrive and now she wants Girls with Sole to offer the same to other young girls.

I was honored to act as Mistress of Ceremonies for their first big fundraiser on Sunday.  It was held at the Busy Broad Boutique in Lakewood.  Awesome place!  Participants enjoyed a beautiful tea, fashion show, and speakers.

Liz has wasted no time in providing programming to area girls.  She’s already partnered with the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center and Fitworks .  If her cause speaks to you in any way, I urge you to offer your support!  Again, her website is www.girlswithsole.org.

Here’s a taste of what you missed!

Here I am with Glam Girl - Liz Ferro!

Check out that leg!

The setting was beautiful! In addition to the bar, people sat at small tables throughout the gallery. It was really a special day.

Clevelanders are never short on criticism for our youth, schools, lack of morals and wise choices made by teens.  Well, here’s something to celebrate!

At a recent workshop, I met Michelle Key with the Ohio State University extension.  Her office is putting together a really awesome teen summit in downtown Cleveland for teens, by teens.  The topics are wide-ranging and sounded extremely valuable covering sex, self-esteem, relationships, cultural diversity and more.  It’s FREE and for all youth ages 13-19.  There are parent sessions too.  Here’s their website link to register.

Let’s stop complaining and get involved!  There are a number of great efforts just like this one that we can get behind and support.  If you don’t have a teen, pass the news on to someone who does.

This week, I appeared on Robin Swoboda’s show, “That’s Life” to talk about clothing trends for girls.  It was a follow up to my article for Akron Family Magazine on my experience bathing suit shopping with my ten-year-old daughter.  For a link to the article, scroll down to “Too Sexy, Too Fast.”

On the set with Robin Swoboda for "That's Life" on Fox 8 Cleveland

To all Moms of daughters - have you been shopping for a swim suit yet?  Not yours, your daughter’s.  Since we went to a warm location for spring break, I’ve already been through the horror of way-too-mature choices.

I wrote about my experience in this month’s Akron Family Magazine. Let me know if your story is similar and how you addressed it.

There is something my kid has that I want:  Information.  I try to pry it out of her.  Boy, do I try.  It sounds something like this, “How was your day?  What did you do?  What was a highlight?  Any challenges?  Who did you seat with at lunch?  Do you have any homework?”  Sound familiar?

Her answers are less than satisfactory.  She gives me one or two words, no details, no dramatic stories.  That is, not until later.  She’ll wait until I’m in the middle of a project, running out the door, or totally engrossed in a TV show.  Then, and only then it seems, she starts talking and she won’t quit!  I listen of course, but I think to myself, why didn’t you tell me this earlier when I asked?

Back to the one-word answers:  control.  It’s all about control.  Most kids, mine included, yearn for a sense of control.  There is little they can do, few decisions they can really make about their lives without adults running interference.  But, when it comes to the intimate details of their day, they have total control over what they share.  Most times they won’t share it all because they don’t want nosy parents taking over.  So they sit, and wait, and talk on their own time schedule.  I calm my inquisitive mind by knowing I’ll get the information I want, just not when I want it.