Things I Want My Daughter to Know About Dating

Because love should never come at the cost of your voice. This is not a fluffy book about crushes and butterflies. It's a fierce, compassionate survival guide for teen girls navigating relationships in a world that still teaches them to shrink. Written by a mother who spent over a decade supporting survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking, this book doesn't sugarcoat. It doesn't tell you to "just communicate better" or "set boundaries" without acknowledging the very real consequences girls face when they do. It doesn't pretend that love is always gentle, or that saying no is always safe. Instead, it arms you with the tools you actually need: How to recognize red flags before they escalate Why "he's just jealous because he loves you" is a lie that kills The difference between someone who respects your boundaries and someone who tests them What consent actually looks like (and why "I didn't say no" is not the same as "I said yes") How to trust your instincts when everyone around you says you're overreacting Why walking away from someone who makes you feel small is not giving up—it's leveling up This book was written for my daughter. But it's for every girl who's been told she's "too sensitive," every teen who's stayed in a relationship because leaving felt harder than enduring, every young woman who's learning that sometimes the most radical act of self-love is refusing to settle. You are not too much. You are not too broken. And you never have to trade safety for connection. Perfect for: Teen girls navigating first relationships Parents who want to have honest conversations about dating Educators and counselors working with young women Anyone who believes that teaching girls to protect themselves shouldn't be necessary—but until the world changes, it is.