Meet Me in the Middle - by Sandra Stanley & Allie Stanley Cooney (Paperback)

About the Book

Mother-and-daughter team Sandra Stanley and Allie Stanley Cooney offer alternating chapters for mothers and their tween/early teen daughters in Meet Me in the Middle, a unique guide for you and your daughter to use as you engage in conversations, activities, and outings that pave the way to lasting connection.

Book Synopsis

Is she really fine or is she just saying that to avoid talking to me? How can our bond grow when she acts as if she doesn't want me around? How do I share my faith without her thinking it's a sermon?

As your daughter heads into the teenage years, you wonder how to handle the dramas and questions of adolescence. But what if instead of waiting to talk about big issues in the heat of the moment, you built a foundation of trust before crises even happened? Meet Me in the Middle helps you connect with your daughter beyond eye rolls and sighs--from either of you. With alternating chapters for you and your daughter, and eight structured opportunities for comfortable discussions together, this practical book equips you to:

• Hear firsthand what your daughter is most stressed about
• Learn natural ways to communicate your faith
• Help your daughter navigate fear and anxiety
• Approach the tricky subjects of friends, guys, and dating
• Grow in faith together as you find your identity and self-worth in Christ

As leaders at one of the country's largest churches, mother-and-daughter team Sandra Stanley and Allie Stanley Cooney have professional backgrounds working with young people--as well as personal experience seeking minimum door-slams and maximum heart-to-hearts. The discussion questions, Scriptures, and activity ideas they offer in Meet Me in the Middle guide you to a relationship with your tween or teen that helps you both grow in trust, communication, and faith.

Review Quotes

Goodness gracious, I could have used this study when raising my two daughters through their teens! I'm fifty-eight and a grandmother, and my heart sometimes aches for my little thirteen-year-old self. She sure could have used this. What a sweet, thoughtful, and open discussion to guide you and your daughter through a really tricky, sometimes painful, but also beautiful chapter in your lives.--Leanne Morgan, American stand-up comedian; actress; author

Having two daughters of my own, I would've loved to have had this tool to help navigate the tween and teen years more effectively. My daughters are fabulous women, my dearest friends, and I still believe we could benefit from these lessons today! I don't just recommend Sandra and Allie's book; I think it is a must-read for mothers and daughters everywhere who desire a stronger connection.--Pamela Gregg Foxworthy, Bible study leader; wife to comedian Jeff Foxworthy; mother; grandmother; Jesus follower

I'm a mother to four daughters, and this book is gold! Sandra and Allie offer biblical truth connected to the struggles and worries my girls have each faced in their middle and high school years in a way that opens conversations between mother and daughter that often feel hard to navigate. Allie's youthful, conversational tone speaks directly to the heart of both my older teens as well as my youngest, a soon-to-be tweenager. Her stories connect to their world and the pressures they often walk through. Sandra wisely takes us mothers by the hand and walks us through big doctrines like identity, forgiveness, and sanctification, giving us clear language for our own spiritual growth as well as that of our girls. The mom-and-daughter activities and discussions are so fun and easy to carry out that you will look forward to your time each week with your precious daughter! The investment of your time and energy will pay rich dividends in your relationship with your child.--Bethany Kimsey, author, A Warrior Mama's Prayers

Mamas and daughters, do not skip a single word of this book! As a mom to two girls--still in the thick of it with a rising ninth grader--I can tell you this for sure: no other book has brought both perspectives this well! Meet Me in the Middle is the guide every mom and daughter must read together. You will walk away armed with tools and practical advice to guide you during challenging times. I suggest you dog-ear Allie's endlessly useful '20 Rules for High School' now. Beyond that, this book will lead you both toward growth and victory in your relationship with each other, God, and your community as a whole.--Suzy Karadsheh, New York Times bestselling author; founder, TheMediterraneanDish.com

Meet Me in the Middle is a beautifully written book by both mother and daughter that helps bridge the gap to a long and rich relationship. All mothers desire a close relationship with their daughters, and daughters want their moms to understand and be proud of them. Sometimes as much as the desire is there, the connection is lost because neither knows how to make the connection. This book provides real-life practical tools to develop a long-lasting and fulfilling relationship between mother and daughter.--Karen Stubbs, founder, Birds on a Wire Moms

Sandra and her amazing daughter, Allie, have given us moms such a great resource to help strengthen our mother-daughter connection. Meet Me in the Middle captures real-life issues to help us navigate our relationship through those tricky teen years. This book will sharpen you both spiritually and relationally!--Amy Groeschel, cofounder, Life.Church; founder, Branch15, a nonprofit ministry providing care to women

Sandra and Allie have given mothers and daughters an incredible gift through Meet Me in the Middle. They've laid out a clear blueprint for navigating the teen years and intentionally nurturing the mother-daughter relationship. Implementing the truths found in this book will pay relational dividends years down the road!--Amy Rainer, teacher; founder, Etiquette with Amy

This book is filled with lots of Scripture and thoughtful cues to help you and your daughter love Jesus and each other better. Allie and Sandra show us that the same truths--his truths--that help us run businesses, navigate illnesses, or even deal with difficult people are even apparent in the most tender of relationships between mothers and daughters.--Mandy Cathy, Andrew's wife; mom to four kids who keep her on the go