Baby mine: Trailer for live-action Dumbo takes on even greater meaning now
I’ve written before about my love of the movie Dumbo here, so it’s not a surprise that I’m pretty interested to see how director Tim Burton and Disney adapt the story for the live-action version that flies into theatres everywhere March 29th, 2019. After seeing the trailer (and that sweet baby elephant with the big eyes!), I’m […]
The unexpected parenting benefits of getting a dog
This post is sponsored by Responsibility.org as part of their Ask, Listen, Learn program. All opinions are mine, or that of our new dog, though really, most of his opinions center around treats. Nora Ephron once said, “When your children are teenagers, it’s important to have a dog so that someone in the house is happy to see […]
8 conversations to have with teens and tweens after seeing Incredibles 2
“It was funny!” my teen said after the applause died down Thursday night at the end of Incredibles 2. After 14 years of waiting, we were so excited to be see Incredibles 2 on the first night of the long-anticipated return of the Parr family to the big screen. It did not disappoint! Both adults […]
How to make the most of a Lake Geneva, WI getaway with a teen
Last week, I got to experience everything from alpacas to zip lining with my teen, and much to my surprise, it was all just a couple hours from home. Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, is approximately a two-hour drive from Chicago. However, it is a world away from the big city, the traffic, and the long to-do […]
3 great graduation speeches that are meaningful to both students and parents
Jim Valvano said that there are three things everyone should do every day: laugh, think and be moved to tears. I’m a huge fan of graduation speeches, in part because the really great ones cover all three of those bases, with a healthy dose of motivation thrown in for good measure. Graduates have heard some […]
Princesses, storm troopers and Snapchat: See the funny new trailer for Ralph Breaks the Internet
Parenting a teen girl means that I’m constantly navigating issues like female empowerment and Snapchat and how best to use the internet, while also preaching the importance of not taking one’s self too seriously. That’s all pretty expected in this day and age. What I didn’t expected, however, was how all those come together in […]
12 lessons learned when visiting colleges with my teen
This past Spring Break, we loaded up the family roadster and headed out on a road trip. We combined visiting family and colleges. Unsurprisingly, many things about visiting colleges have changed since the early 1990’s and there was a bit of a learning curve for us as parents. Over a thousand miles and six college […]
What’s missing from the lists of skills kids should have, and a confession
There are a lot of lists circulating on the internet detailing skills that all children should have by age 18. They’re particularly popular this time of year. While I absolutely believe that a parent’s job is to help prepare their offspring for adulthood and see it as part of the parental mandate, I don’t love […]
Why I vaccinate my teen
Disclosure: I’ve partnered with I Vaccinate to share my story and this content is sponsored by I Vaccinate. Last week, I took my daughter to visit our family doctor so that she could get the sports physical necessary for a high school tryout. At the end of her exam, he said, with mock sadness, “I’m afraid I don’t have […]
How I became a contestant on Jeopardy! and how you can, too
If you’re one of the 12 million people who watch the show each week and think “I could do that!” or just want to get some insight into the show, consider becoming a contestant! It’s not terribly hard and if I can do it, so can you! I have had two in-person auditions and got […]