Earlier this month, we met with the talented cast of Netflix’s “Tall Girl. ” This movie is great for teens and the entire family, and you can now stream it on Netflix!
Miss Ava Michelle plays “Jodi”, a self-conscious teen who feels she doesn’t fit in because of her height, until she falls for a handsome foreign exchange student. Jodi becomes embroiled in a surprising love triangle and realizes she’s far more than her insecurities about her height have led her to believe.
This movie has a great message especially for teens, who are constantly feeling beat down for being different or unconventional.
Correspondent Victoria Camacho, got the behind the scenes scoop, and spoke to the cast of the new film. Check it out!
My family also had the opportunity to screen the film beforehand, and it brought up some much needed conversations in our home. My girls expressed they felt many relatable moments, and thought this film would be great for teens. Clarissa said, “This coming of age film empowers victims of bullying, and females of all ages. Whether you are bullied for your height, your age, your ethnicity, or your beliefs, this film encourages young individuals, to stand tall and live fearlessly. Bravo, Netflix!”
My son Andrew is 12, and he has seen it a few times since we screened it. He just loves it. Just fyi there may be some mature content in this film, so parents make sure to watch it beforehand to make sure it is appropriate for your preteens.
Oh what a sweet treat!
Last week, I decorated cakes at Duff’s Cakemix with Angela Kinsey (The Office), who stars as Helanie Kreyman in the new film. (love her) We talked about her new cooking channel “Baking with Josh and Ange” and about her role in Tall Girl. Her new cooking show if full of laughs, so be sure to check it out!
Lily – I am a 17 year old Texas girl. I’m a junior in high school. I have been homeschooled my whole life, and I absolutely love having the freedom homeschooling gives me. I have many passions that include public speaking, art, video editing, dance, and writing. My favorite foods are Lucky Charms and whipped cream. I started vlogging in 2017 because I was inspired by Annie Rose, my little sister. I watched her have fun, get wonderful feedback and work hard so I decided that I wanted to try!
What inspired you to start your vlog?
Lily – I started vlogging in 2017 because I was inspired by Annie Rose, my little sister. I watched her have fun, get wonderful feedback and work hard so I decided that I wanted to try!
Bullying is a huge issue with teens. What message do you have for young people struggling with bullying?
Lily- I have been lucky, since I am a Christian and have been homeschooled, I have not dealt with severe cases of bullying. I am very thankful for that. But something I would encourage is for you to find yourself and never let go of that. Find your own identity and build it up strong; to the point where nobody can break it down. I like to think of it like playing Capture the Flag, once you have your hands on the flag, you never let the flag go! That flag can be your sense of self – never to be let go or lost, and if it is, you exhaust every resource to get it back. Us being secure in ourselves is the most important factor to success in this life. So we must retrieve that flag and show it off proudly.
Plus, remember that:
You are beautiful
You are unique
You are allowed to be different
You are intelligent
You are so very, very loved
And you are not alone.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Lily – 10 years… that is a long time! In 10 years, I want to have published at least three books (currently writing them), I want to have at least 3 degrees, I want to be married and financially stable. I plan to keep doing YouTube as long as the platform exists, I love Instagram and want to continue building my audience there. I am about to begin selling products on Amazon. My goal is to create a lifestyle that I believe in, market it and help others achieve the golden life through aesthetics, books, videos and products. Sprinkled throughout all of this, I want to be a credible public speaker. I have been told that public speaking is my ‘spiritual gift’ (lol). I feel completely comfortable in front of big crowds and I want nothing more than to speak my truth and inspire people to take control of their lives and make them beautiful!
What’s your goal and overall message that would you like to share with your viewers?
Lily – That they are beautiful. That’s it.
So many times in my life I would look in the mirror at that roll of chub over my gut, at the metal braces in my mouth, how round and puffy my face was, or how huge my thighs were and I hated it. I hated myself. I saw myself as a burden to my parents, the least important friend, and I had no self worth. But eventually, with kicking, screaming and lots of sleepless nights, I found myself, my passions and I pulled myself together into a little heap and decided that I was going to be different from everyone else; I was going to be confident and love myself.
So many teens hate their image, personality, status or all of the above, and the sad truth is… that mindset is utterly normal. It is common to be depressed, tired and self-loathing. Teens say ‘want to die’ or ‘I hate myself’ and actually believe it. It is often covered as a joke but, behind every just kidding – there is some truth. This generation suffers so strongly from self hate that right now, the way to be different or to stand out is to fully love yourself and actually accept yourself. The new different is seeing yourself as beautiful, valuable and enough.
Please provide a link to your favorite YouTube video to share on my site.
Annie- I’m a 13 year old entrepreneur, youtuber, author, actor, singer, and fashion LOVER!! I started my first youtube channel 4 years ago simply to have fun (considering I was 9). Now I work everyday editing, filming, communicating with my followers, creating new ideas, and let me just say .. I LOVE IT!! Before age 9 I never had a ‘thing’ while my 3 older siblings Matthew, Lily, and Laura were enjoying their own activities and I felt left out. I’ve always been a chatterbox and a storyteller so finding youtube was such a perfect way for me to express myself. I also have discovered my love for writing and fashion along the way and have created my own poetry book and merch line! I’m so grateful for my almost 800k fans and hope I can inspire girls to live their life to the absolute fullest!
What inspired you to start your vlog?
Like I said, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to have a safe place to express myself.
Annie- Keep your head high. If you have a dream, chase it. Have you heard “Mean” by Taylor Swift? She sings, “Someday I’ll be living in a big city and all you’re ever gonna be is mean” Your time really is coming so don’t listen to bullies and haters. Remember that you are strong and beautiful.
What is your favorite subject in school? Why?
Annie- English, literature, or writing .. can’t really pick one hehe. When I was eight I would spend all day writing stories and to this day I have loved grammar / writing / poetry. It’s all so beautiful to me. Writing is like an extension of talking, just quieter.
What makes you unique, and why do you think people should follow you?
Annie- Not many girls have the same outlook on life that I have. I see everything in a positive and happy way. I think I can help other girls realize life isn’t so bad and it’s worth living to the absolute fullest.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Annie- I have many dreams. My biggest goals in life are to create my own fashion, and a own my own physical store, publish more books, travel, build my own house, start a family, inspire others, and I hope that in ten years I still live my life to the absolute fullest because like Meghan Trainor says “No we ain’t promised tomorrow”
What advice would you give to young girls that want to start a vlog?
Annie- Don’t stop. If you love it, do it. Don’t stop if you get picked on or because someone tells you to. If I stopped because someone hated on me I wouldn’t be where i am today! If you enjoy doing youtube, that’s all that matters! Not the money, fame, or haters. Keep your head high. If you have a dream, chase it. Have you heard “Mean” by Taylor Swift? She sings, “Someday I’ll be living in a big city and all you’re ever gonna be is mean” Your time really is coming so don’t listen to bullies and haters. Remember that you are strong and beautiful.
Please provide a link to your favorite YouTube video.
My teenage daughter is ready to hit the road but as a mom, I’m concerned she doesn’t know how dangerous driving can be. Thanks to Mercury Insurance’s #DriveSafechallenge I think my daughter will be much more prepared when she gets her driver’s license.
Last week at the Honda Center of Anaheim, teens were put to the test in different driving scenarios. Mercury insurance created an obstacle course that put them in dangerous driving situations. While driving with instructors, they were distracted with phone calls, texts, and talking to friends. They also learned how to take control of the car while skidding, and learned how to make sharp turns in an emergency. These were all very valuable lessons, and parents learned too!
Sponsored: Thank you Mercury Insurance for sponsoring this post. All opinions and experiences are our own.
Here are some important facts teens and parents should know before your kid gets behind the wheel.
Teenagers raise their risk for an accident by every increment they go over the speed limit. So yes, the speed limit is extremely important. In order to prevent collisions, your teen should cautiously maintain the designated speed ALWAYS.
Statistics show 16-17 year olds are more at risk for a deadly collision with each additional passenger. Your child should definitely not be driving with minors in the car 6 months after they’re licensed (it is illegal, and just extremely dangerous!)
16 year olds have higher crash rates then any other other range. Now this is just natural – as teenagers are more inexperienced when it comes to driving. We should encourage our teens to drive distraction free, and have consequences for reckless driving.
44% of teens said they would definitely speak up if someone were driving in a way that scared them. Parents need to teach their kids to speak up, because an accident isn’t worth being nice.
Teen drivers with involved parents are twice as likely to wear seat belts. Teens need to be responsible even when their parents are not in the vehicle.
More than 40% of teen of deaths occur when driving between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Talking on a cell phone can double the likelihood of an accident as well as slow a young driver’s reaction time down to that of a 70-year-old elderly person. (Scary but true)
1 in 5 of 16-year-old new drivers has an accident within their first year of driving.
6% of teenagers rely on their parents to learn how to drive. So parents teach the well!
After this challenge, my daughter and I talked about all the possible obstacles and challenges she may face as a new driver.Drivingis a privilege, and it’s important to open the line of communication with your teen drivers and set the expectations upfront.
I am senior in high school, and I will be attending a Cal State University in the fall. It’s definitely been a journey, both emotionally and academically. Deciding which school would be a right fit for me, has definitely been a challenge. Recently, the editors of Seventeen Magazine released a new book entitled Seventeen: College Goals, an insiders guide to finding and getting into a school you’ll love. Upon reading it, I am in awe with the resources it provides. It gives me the tools to take on University in terms of study hacks, self care, sex, adulting, drugs and alcohol prevention.
My parents have always stressed the importance of education. After my SAT and ACT prep classes, my mother would feed me and show me how to make protein packed wraps, chicken noodle soup, tofu and other Pinterest worthy meals to prepare me for college. At each of these meals, she would teach me something new that she felt would be vital to my college experience. She would even talk about topics that are considered taboo in my Hispanic culture.
A copy of Seventeen: College Goals and a $50 dollar Visa Gift Card for all your hard work after SATs, ACTs, and for making it through this school year! (U.S. addresses only)
Disclosure: Bluestreak Books is partnering with me for a giveaway and is providing a Seventeen: College Goals prize pack for one of my lucky readers!
With SATs, ACTs, AP courses, and studying this school year has been just a little insane!
As a very anxious student, I have only known a few self-care coping mechanisms:
1. Cry
2. Binge on junk food
3. Watch 500 Days of Summer until my little brother tackles me for the remote
After reading Seventeen Magazine tips, I realize how unhealthy these coping mechanisms are, and how I can better my life with simple things such as eating healthy, maintaining a sleeping schedule, and taking care, and loving my body!
This school year is BIG for me, and I am both excited and nervous at the same time. I have so much on my mind. I am thrilled that I now have an all- in- one journal/guide to place my thoughts, dreams, and goals!
This incredible book makes a great birthday, graduation, and or a just cuz gift!
The only thing standing between you and that college life is figuring out where you might want to go, completing your applications, writing a killer essay, scoring solid test scores, shining in your activities, getting glowing recommendations, and . . . okay, that’s a lot. But even though being accepted into college can seem big and overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be.
That’s where Seventeen: College Goals comes in. This stress-free guide—part-planner, part-journal—will help walk you through the step-by-step process of applying to colleges. There are pages filled with practical cheat sheets, handy life hacks, thoughtful tips, fun quizzes, inspiring quotes from your favorite celebs and leaders, and prompts that will push you to self-reflect. (After all, that’s what college essays are all about!) This way, you can freak out less about if you’ll get in, and actually start thinking about which school’s offer you’re going to accept.
I’m counting down the days to graduation!
When I start attending Cal State, I think I will be slightly more at ease with this book. Not having my mom around will definitely be a struggle as she truly is my best friend, my mentor, and my biggest supporter. This little book will help me organize my thoughts, help with decision making, and reassure me that this is only the beginning of my future…
