The Southern Tea – ENCORE: Doing The Most With The Least feat. Alessandra

Host: Lindsie Chrisley
Guest: Alessandra
Date: February 18, 2026

Main Theme / Purpose

This episode is a candid, wide-ranging chat between Lindsie Chrisley and her friend Alessandra about navigating adulthood, relationships, parenthood, technology’s effect on social life, societal expectations, and the unexpected (and often absurd) situations life throws our way. With humor and unfiltered honesty, they reflect on growing up, setting boundaries, dating after divorce, family dynamics, and the value of independence.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Catching Up & Life Updates (00:54–06:36)

• The two friends catch up, joking about fashion dupes and the whirlwind of transitioning from summer to fall.
• Lindsie shares her exhaustion returning from the cabin and handling her middle-schooler’s new academic expectations.

“Having a middle schooler, it's very different than having an elementary schooler. And I am not. Okay.”
– Lindsie (01:34)

• Jokes and stories about hiding and forging signatures on progress reports as kids.

2. Modern Parenting, Technology, and School (01:47–07:48)

• How grading and parental oversight have changed with digital tools.
• Discussion about the transparency and instant feedback of online school portals compared to the secrecy of paper report cards growing up.
• Anecdotes about youthful attempts to forge parental signatures.

3. Reading Habits & Book Talk (05:01–06:36)

• Lindsie admits she’s read more books than the average American this year (four), and wonders what to do with books she's finished.
• Alessandra keeps her books as “trophies” but previously donated or gifted them.

“I have bookshelves, so I keep them. Kind of like trophies.”
– Alessandra (05:37)

• Little Free Libraries and donating books as ways to pass on finished reads.
• A segue into crime documentaries and true crime book trauma.

4. True Crime & Social Trends (06:36–09:29)

• Recent crime documentaries ("Yogurt Shop Murders," "High School Catfish") prompt a conversation about online bullying.
• The hosts reflect on viral social jokes about “bringing back bullying” and the dangers of actual bullying in the digital age.

“When second graders are committing suicide over it, I just don't think it's, like, funny.”
– Alessandra (09:16)

• Contrast between childhoods then (landlines, limited access) versus now (phones, 24/7 communication).

5. Tech, Boundaries & Social Media (09:29–14:22)

• The stress of perpetual connectedness for both kids and adults.
• Parenting fears regarding social media, specifically Snapchat and Roblox.
• Alessandra describes setting strong boundaries with her phone to protect her mental health.

“Those are boundaries. Like, that's. If I'm not on my phone, I'm not on my phone. That's why I read so much, because I'm genuinely, like, not looking at it.”
– Alessandra (11:38)

• The importance of solitude and retaining independence within adult relationships.

6. Independence, Travel & Healthy Relationships (13:16–14:52)

• Lindsie talks about doing therapy to better understand communication in romantic relationships.
• Alessandra highlights how maintaining individuality and personal space—even while in long-term partnerships—is vital.

“In order to be the best version of you as a unit, you guys have to be the best version of yourselves independently.”
– Alessandra (14:22)

7. Modern Dating, Cheating & Lies (17:15–27:00)

• Absurd news stories about infidelity, including a man unknowingly hiring his own wife as a prostitute and another charged for bigamy.
• Discussion on honesty vs lying, especially when caught, and the psychological reasons people double down on lies.

“If I'm coming to you with something and asking you a question, I already know the fudgeing answer.”
– Lindsie (18:27)

• Alessandra shares personal stories about being unwittingly involved with married men and why transparency is crucial in dating.

“I would need your Social Security number, a list of three references. Like I need to call your mom. I need to see all the social media because men out here are shiesty.”
– Alessandra (23:48)

8. Red Flags, Vetting, and Dating After Divorce (32:30–35:23)

• Both hosts reflect on how their standards for dating have changed with age and life experience.
• Divorce and remarriage bring a new set of vetting processes—to the point of wanting a partner’s “Social Security number.”

9. Gender Roles, Upbringing & Financial Independence (35:27–38:10)

• Deep-dive into how independent women contrast with men not raised to match that strength.
• The importance of financial independence and mutual growth in relationships.

“I have worked so hard to be where I am now that I am not willing to give that up for anybody.”
– Lindsie (37:20)

10. Fulfillment, Motherhood, and Roles (38:10–39:40)

• Alessandra personally wouldn’t find fulfillment being a stay-at-home mom, while Lindsie enjoyed her “Pinterest mom” days but insists independence is crucial.

11. Recent News Stories: Crime, “Grandma Showers,” and Wedding Dynamics (39:53–51:20)

• Discusses shocking news about a college cheerleader arrested for hiding her newborn in her closet and debates the contributing societal factors.
• “Grandma showers” (baby showers for grandparents) and whether they’re appropriate or self-centered.
• The phenomena of mother-in-laws upstaging brides at weddings—especially wearing white.

“It's like the mother in laws who wear like blush to a wedding.”
– Alessandra (49:27)
“Why are you so obsessed with your son?”
– Alessandra (50:18)

12. Family Dynamics, Future Mother-in-Law Hopes, and Change (52:10–59:00)

• Lindsie expresses hopes to be a supportive, not intrusive, mother-in-law.
• Alessandra advocates for family inclusivity—welcoming partners as real family members.
• They discuss traditions in the South about marital unity and how independence and individuality are often lost in relationships.

13. Growth, Change & Life Lessons (55:58–59:00)

• Lindsie reads an inspirational Instagram post about change, loss, and the pain of growth.
• Both discuss their tendency to crave routine and the challenge (and necessity) of evolving.

“This new season will ask you for a choice. Repeat or evolve... Growth often demands loss, but stagnation often demands your life. When you're faced with the weight of all of that, you have to ask yourself, which pain are you willing to carry?”
– Quoted by Lindsie from Instagram (55:58)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On childhood and forging signatures:
  “I’ll never forget. I got so caught... forging my mom’s signature. I wrote her name. So I was caught as– and the teachers were like, ‘That’s not your mom’s signature.’” – Alessandra (02:53)

• On tech and raising kids:
  “Kids today, even as young as seven and eight years old, have access to Snapchat...I really just don’t understand the premise.” – Lindsie (10:53)

• On relationship independence:
  “I'm way too independent. Like, I need my space from my partner.” – Alessandra (14:11)

• On why people lie when caught:
  “They want you to have a perception of them...so they will do whatever they have to to keep that facade up.” – Alessandra (18:54)

• On modern dating precautions:
  “I need to know exactly all of the houses that you ever lived in. I need to know where you went to high school. I need to know every girlfriend that you’ve ever had. I need access to your social media.” – Lindsie (33:54)

• On mothers-in-law and weddings:
  “It's like the mother in laws who wear like blush to a wedding...Did you watch Hunting Wives?...There’s a woman in there that has a weird emotional attachment to her son.” – Alessandra (49:27–50:45)

• On change and growth:
  “Change is scary...But change is really important for development.” – Alessandra (56:37)

Important Timestamps

• 00:54 – Introduction and catching up
• 01:34 – Lindsie’s adjustment to her child being in middle school
• 02:53 – Forging signatures & childhood anecdotes
• 05:37 – Handling finished books
• 06:48 – Crime documentaries and trauma
• 09:16 – The seriousness of modern bullying
• 11:38 – Setting boundaries with technology
• 14:22 – Relationship dynamics and independence
• 17:15 – Man hires wife as prostitute: absurd news story
• 23:48 – Alessandra’s dating horror story with a married man
• 34:10 – Vetting dating prospects after divorce
• 37:20 – Financial independence for women
• 39:53 – University of Kentucky cheerleader crime news
• 47:02 – Grandma showers and family roles
• 49:27 – Mother-in-law wedding stories
• 55:58 – Inspirational message about change and growth

Tone & Style

The tone throughout is breezy, unfiltered, sometimes irreverent, but always supportive and empathetic. Lindsie and Alessandra share both their vulnerabilities and humor, making listeners feel included in a very real, relatable conversation between friends navigating the challenges of modern life.

Summary

For listeners who haven’t tuned in, this episode of The Southern Tea is a testament to the power of candid conversation. Lindsie Chrisley and Alessandra cover everything from school memories and digital communication overload to modern relationships, boundaries, unique family dynamics, dating challenges, and personal growth. Full of stories, laughs, and “can you believe it” moments, it’s a comforting listen for anyone making sense of adulthood, independence, and the evolving shape of family and love.