What happens when your 10-year-old asks for a magazine and you realize there is not a single one you feel good about handing her? That is the moment Mary Flenner faced, and it led to Tween Magazine.

Mary is a mom of three girls, a longtime marketing and content writer, and the founding editor of a lifestyle magazine designed just for tweens. Instead of pushing girls to grow up too fast, Tween celebrates silliness, creativity, individuality, and the joy of being a kid.

In this conversation, we talk with Mary about:

• ​The origin story of Tween Magazine and why she chose print in 2024
• ​How media aimed at tweens and teens has missed the mark, and what she is doing differently
• ​Balancing sustainability with aligned advertising partners
• ​The most popular features so far, from “Real Girls Who Rock” to the pen pal program
• ​How her daughters have become her co‑creative directors
• ​What she hopes every girl feels when they open Tween: seen, celebrated, and free to be goofy

Mary also shares her vision for the next five years of Tween Magazine and why giving girls permission to be kids is a powerful countercultural stance.

🎧 Tune in to hear how one mom’s creative leap is giving a generation of girls a magazine they can call their own.

Visit tweenmag.com or @tweenmagazineforgirls to learn more.

TMIT Teammates #4: Celebrating Girlhood with Tween Magazine Founder Mary Flenner