My Young Adult Daughters Inspired Me to Write my Last Book

(and the one that's brewing inside of me now)

I’m bringing back a popular older newsletter topic with an updated discussion of my favorite people who are big inspirations for my writing: my twin daughters.

I want to introduce my daughter, Kyla. As you can see from the photo, she sparkles.

Kyla is a dining table stand-up comedian and an incredible storyteller. She is like the Pied Piper with kids, which is why she is thriving as a camp counselor leading trips this summer, having earned her Wilderness First Responder certification. Snowboarding and backpacking are her current passions, and she loves her college life in Vermont.

Kyla is studying psychology and business and has always been tremendously hard-working. Her writing is super creative and candid. She loves to travel and plans to spend a semester in Spain this year. She's very discerning about who she hangs with and forms strong friendships. I'm proud of the creative, enthusiastic, and curious person that she is.

Here's twin sister Ava. Also sparkly in her own way.

It was hard for me to find a photo of Ava without a friend or her sister in it, as she’s very social and loves spending time with friends. Ava is incredibly generous. She loves surprising and giving little gifts to her loved ones. She is the "mom" of the friend group and always ensures everyone has what they need. She loves to read, shop, and take charge, and she’s actively involved in the leadership of her college sorority.

Ava has a “real” job in social media marketing, but still manages to make time for fun. (I enjoyed the video project for Eating Disorders Awareness Week that we created for social media together.) She's currently a finance and hospitality major in college, and she hopes to travel to Italy or Switzerland for a semester this year. I’m proud of the resourceful, fun-loving, and wise-beyond-her-years person she has become.

I'm introducing you to my daughters not just because I think they are stellar humans (yep, I’m biased) but also because they are both quoted and featured in numerous stories in my most recent book Nurture. I wrote about many of my clients, changing their names and identifying information to protect their privacy, but to write about my lived experience as a parent, I couldn't protect my daughters' privacy in the same way.

Ava and Kyla read many segments while I was writing the book, and eventually the whole manuscript, giving me full permission to share details about our lives. They certainly didn't have to approve so many of the stories and quotes, but they were both open to being vulnerable subjects in my text. I'm grateful for that because it lends credibility to my writing as both a parent of now-20-year-olds and a clinician in the field.

Asking permission to quote and tell their stories, in my mind, had to happen once they were young adults and could give their consent.

I know it wasn't easy to have a mom who was pointing out weight discrimination and body shaming all the time, but then I would hear them telling their friends who were struggling with their bodies just how much they loved and accepted them. I knew some of my ranting had sunk in.

In the book, I share some of my parenting mistakes related to food and body image. One example is in what has become affectionately called the “Pop-Tart Chapter.”

Nurture has won four different book awards and has been called a “game-changer” and “an empathic and easeful approach” to food and bodies with kids.

If you'd like a preview of Nurture before you buy it, you can read the Introduction and learn more about why I wrote the book. Parents and caregivers are busy people; I’d love more reviews (on Amazon and Goodreads) of Nurture. Reach out to me at heidi@anourishingword.com if you’d like a copy in exchange for writing an honest review. (I also read the book aloud on Audible.)

I'm honoring Kyla and Ava in the newsletter today because they were a big part of my inspiration for writing Nurture, as well as major characters in some of my stories. I believe you'll appreciate how wise they are when you read the book.

I’m also reposting and updating my introduction to them (shared here on Substack in 2023) because many of you have subscribed to this newsletter more recently. I hope those who haven’t will enjoy the update on what my young adults are up to. I’m also keeping my Substack posts easy-breezy this summer while I work on my next book’s proposal.

I hope you and those you love — chosen or actual family — have a summer filled with simple delights like toes in sand.

P.S. My most engaging social media post lately is a silly one where I am being my dorky self trying to explain that carbs are amazing and breadmaking is a tactile (note how many times I use that word) and nourishing experience. Then, I gave the video to my decades-younger influencer brother to edit. The outcome was a bit hilarious. I hope you’ll enjoy it.