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Teens can save the world if we let them.

Hey pal!

Heres some words I never thought Id write: Theres no better feeling than walking into a lumberyard as a woman.

That sawdusty smell in the air makes me feel empowered.

No one quite knows what to do with me, which reminds me of my early days as an unknown tech reporter, a rare woman in rooms filled with men.

Um.. can I help you . . .find something?

Do you need help. . . getting this in your car?

So . . . whatcha. . .doing with this lumber?

Build a shed? Wouldnt you rather just buy a shed?

The last time I went, as I was tying down lumber in the back of my truck at least two men who didnt work at Lowes stopped.

They didnt even offer to help you?

Oh, they did. I assured them. I just dont need help.

Part of my delight in this experience is that I am also flummoxed and confused with myself. A year ago I didnt even know how to use a drill, the difference between a drill or a driver and Id never once picked up a saw. Now I have a whole tool shed and am designing and building my own furniture.

My inspiration? My kids. My girls. They did a sleepaway camp a few years ago where they learned to build stuff. And as I watched tiny eight year old Evie use a chop saw, I thought. . . why cant I do that?

There is something truly magical about doing things yourself. Not just to save money (although, yay) or just to build something thats exactly what you want (also, yay), but because it feels good to do it yourself. Every time I look at furniture Ive built, I feel like the kind of person who can do anything, because Sarah Lacy, carpenter was a plot twist NO ONE saw coming.

While in my case, my kids gave me the gift of Hey you can do this . . ., I am a big believer in the other direction as well: Giving my kids the gift of self-sufficiency.

I recently started getting Evie to cook dinner on nights Eli has dance classes and Im running her back and forth. At first Evie was like, Me!? and everyone else was like, Evie!?

Shes the younger child and the . . .ahem, one with less attention to detail.

But I assured her she could do it. And if not, well, shed learn from the mistakes.

This isnt a chore Im giving you, I said. Im asking you to do this because in seven years youll be 18 and you need to know how to do everything for yourself that I do for you now.

She loved it and was so proud of herself. Ive heard her telling other people that she cooks dinner on the nights Eli has dance, with as much pride as she used to operate a chop saw.

It doesnt matter that one of these skills codes as male and the other as female. The point is the rush of endorphins from creating things for yourself and your family.

Its the philosophy behind an exciting new non-profit Ive been working with since January: JAR Farms. Its based in Marin and owned by the kids of my long time friend, Kristen Koh. It was her familys reaction to various challenges and mental health crises her kids fell into before and during the pandemic: A by-teens, for-teens wellness farm and retreat center. A resource and growing library of experts to help heal families pain.

Ive been helping them build out their programming and learning SO MUCH. So much about the differences between Gen Z and Generation Alpha. So much about what boys are going through now, what girls are going through now, and the growing tide of kids who dont want to be labeled as either, or be in any category at all.

About how the rise of the sharing economy has robbed teens and tweens of self sufficiency. About their desire to grow their own food, jar their own honey, and eat as cleanly and locally as possible. About their passions around the climate, disdain for fast fashion and fast furniture, and desires to upcycle everything instead. Just read this. I am so honored to get to work with them on this!

I remembered my dad teaching me to change my own oil, because our family didnt have $30 extra to spend on someone else doing that. These kids, who have so much than I did or even my kids do, are learning to change their own oil and teaching their friends, because they believe its important to do things for yourself.

They were the ones who inspired me to have Evie cook dinner, instead of ordering another DoorDash. And they were right.

We are rolling out various workshops and camps and community events in the Bay Area starting next month, and if you would like to know more, and be part of that movement, I would love you to go sign up for the mailing list or check out the Web site.

Our first events in May are all about teen and tween girls and how to stop being their combatants and be their allies instead.

If you have kids 18 or younger, I think there will be a lot of advice and wisdom and programming that may well solve the exact thing you are struggling with. If not, like me, you may just love to learn from this incredible generation.