In the 1980s, I was your typical awkward nerd, sporting a mouthful of shiny metal braces and bangs that refused to cooperate, despite my overzealous use of hairspray that made my hair feel like it could snap at any moment. Enter Molly Johnson, the quintessential cool girl who felt like a big sister to me: charming yet relatable, captivating yet down-to-earth. While I didn’t share my first kiss until I was 16, through her, I lived vicariously and imagined my own high school adventures, dreaming of my very own Jake Ryan.
Fast forward to today—Molly is now 47 and still lights up the screen, recently appearing in the Jem and the Holograms film. Beyond acting, she has carved out a niche as a celebrated jazz singer and a writer, both of fiction and non-fiction. She’s also a mom to three kids: 11-year-old Lily and her 5-year-old twins, Max and Emma. It turns out that even a former teen idol like Molly faces the same challenges we all do when it comes to parenting in a digital world and figuring out how to share our stories in this ever-evolving landscape.
Molly’s life has always revolved around storytelling—whether through film, music, or the written word. Now, she’s surrounded by budding storytellers of her own. Her daughter Lily has taken to making short films featuring her siblings, embracing creativity in the digital age.
I had the chance to meet Molly at a recent event for beauty and storytelling at the Mom 2.0 Summit in Scottsdale. I’ll admit, I tried to play it cool, but my inner 12-year-old was buzzing with excitement. Meeting a childhood idol can be nerve-wracking! I worried she might be distant or that I’d embarrass myself in front of her. What could I possibly ask someone who has likely tackled every question in the book?
As it turned out, my concerns were unfounded. Molly was as warm and engaging as I had hoped—a true mom who could relate to my experiences. We discussed the modern forms of storytelling and the unique challenges of raising tweens in a world saturated with technology.
Molly shared her deep appreciation for the oral tradition of storytelling, which she attributes to her mother, a remarkable storyteller herself. “I’ve always been curious about family stories,” she explained. “They reveal so much about who we are and can teach us valuable lessons about ourselves.”
She acknowledged that the way we share our stories has transformed dramatically in recent years. “With platforms like Twitter, the 140-character limit has changed the game,” she pointed out. “It’s a mixed bag; it forces you to be concise, which can be a good thing.”
Molly actively engages on Twitter, sharing moments from her life, her music tours, and her family’s everyday adventures. Yet, she admitted, “Sometimes it feels overwhelming. I just want to savor life’s moments without feeling the need to document everything.”
She, like many parents, is navigating the tricky waters of social media with her kids. “I want to protect their privacy, but I also want to share the joy they bring me,” she said. “It’s a balancing act with my husband and me.”
Now that Lily is also on social media, the conversations about its impact have become a daily occurrence. “We talk about it constantly,” Molly revealed. “I think it’s important to encourage our kids to engage with the world beyond their screens.”
Lily, who dabbles in filmmaking and theater, sometimes asks Molly if she plans to post certain moments online. “It’s a funny situation,” Molly chuckled. “One moment, we’re enjoying time together, and the next, she’s eager to share it on social media!”
Interestingly, Lily has even noticed the shift in how her generation experiences adolescence. “The other day, we were listening to some classic music,” Molly recalled, “and she remarked that back then, people seemed to have a lot more fun. Now, we’re all glued to our phones!”
Molly reflected on the changes social media has brought to teenage life. “Back in my day, if you weren’t invited to a party, you had a break when you got home. Now, that comparison and pressure follow you everywhere,” she noted. “Recently, Lily deleted her Instagram account just because she felt overwhelmed by it all. My first thought was something must have happened, but she simply said, ‘I think I was overdoing it.’”
With an affectionate eye-roll that any child of the ’80s would recognize, she added with a smile, “I’m sure she’ll be back on Instagram next week.”
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In summary, Molly Johnson is not just a beloved actor from our youth; she’s a relatable mom who navigates the challenges of parenting in a digital age just like the rest of us. Her journey reflects the ongoing evolution of storytelling, family connections, and the balance of sharing our lives in a tech-driven world.