Writer / Kara Kavensky
Photographer / Darren Boston
“Daddy is going to be here to get you off the bus today,” said Heather Chastain to her daughter Caroline one morning.
“Where will you be?” is the first question Caroline asks immediately after learning of the new after-school plan. Before her mom can answer, she continues with, “You need to call Daddy and be sure he knows this and what to do.” Caroline is 5.
“It is exhausting raising two independent women … one of whom is now a kindergartener and the other is almost 2,” says Heather. She and her husband Blake, who is the General Manager of Management Recruiters out of Zionsville, celebrate their daughters each and every day.
As soon as Caroline could speak, what came out was hilarious. Heather, an Emmy-winning news producer and writer, took detailed notes. Heather knew she needed an outlet to share these adorable gems, and by using an app called Little Hoots, she turned Caroline’s statements into cute memes and posted them to Facebook.
Soon Heather had built a large following. “Word got out, literally … my mom’s friends and friends of my friends were sending me friend requests with notes like, ‘Your daughter is so funny!’” shares Heather. Another fan wrote to her, “Oh my gosh, Heather, Caroline is hysterical. Keep it coming!”
“Once when Caroline was about 2½, I told her we were going to Target,” shares Heather of an early example. “Her response was, ‘Great! I need a few things!’”
While Heather’s parenting is an overwhelmingly positive experience, she feels it’s healthy to share little bits of the less-than-desirable moments, such as the screaming fits. “This girl belongs on stage,” says Heather of Caroline.
But before Caroline may appear on stage, she is already in print. “Caroline Girls” is the first children’s book penned by Heather. Of course, she has plenty of material from Caroline.
Heather has written five stories in total so far, and “Caroline Girls” is the first in the series to be published. “It’s cathartic for me to write. I love it,” shares Heather. It took a while for Heather to share them with her husband. She felt they were personal and held them close to her heart. When she did finally share them, Blake responded positively.
“These are good,” said Blake immediately upon reading them. Heather responded, “Of course you like them. You’re my husband.”
“No, these are really good,” Blake stated with the utmost sincerity.
Heather set out to have a positive impact on the world and realized the best way for her is through children. The book is about the freedom of being accepted, no matter what your mood is that day or what you wear. The emphasis is about kindness and inclusivity. There are illustrations where a Caroline girl is in a soccer uniform, in a wheelchair, wearing a tutu or shown with braces on their teeth. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
“I receive comments and reviews that little girls insert their own name instead of Caroline, and that is the whole point!” shares Heather, who is all about empowering young girls. “And now that my youngest is almost 2, I am feeling a bit of pressure to write Baby Kate stories, so we will see how that goes.”
“Anyone with a heart of gold can be a Caroline girl is what I am told…”
“Caroline Girls” is for sale on Amazon and from her website, carolinegirls.com.