Excited for Toy Story 4? The final trailer is here!
Prepare yourselves, friends. We are one month away from June 21, and it’s a big day. It is the summer solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere, which marks the official start of summer and is the longest day of the year. More than that, though, it’s also the day that Disney and Pixar’s much anticipated […]
The high school graduation gifts I’m still using 25 years later
I was very fortunate to receive a lot of love and many wonderful gifts on my high school graduation which was, ahem, a quarter century ago. Some gifts were sentimental, some were practical, and they were all very appreciated. In the practical category, there were a few that have traveled with me to campus and […]
Jim Henson’s thoughts on parenting and life
Creator of the Muppets and creative genius Jim Henson died 29 years ago this week. He is still very missed, but his work, characters and positive messages live on. His words of wisdom and insight also endure, and I’ve found Jim Henson’s thoughts on parenting to be helpful. Here are some favorite quotes. I know I’m […]
An open letter to high school teachers
I was very apprehensive when my daughter headed off to a large high school of nearly 3,000 students. Now, three full academic years later, I wish I could go back and tell myself that she’s going to have a wonderful experience, in large part because there are may wonderful educators that she would have along […]
The latest compelling info on later high school start times
Valerie Crabtree, Ph.D., is a mom of high schoolers, the Chief of Psychosocial Services at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and an advocate for later high school start times. Earlier this year she gave a TEDx talk on the topic of the importance of sleep for teens, why they sleep at different times than adults […]
Brené Brown’s wonderful advice for parents of heartbroken teens
Brené Brown is pretty fabulous. If you haven’t watched her new special on Netflix yet, go do it, you won’t be sorry. I really enjoyed it, and it reminded me of the time I got to see her speak a few years ago. One of her stories at that event that has really stayed with […]
10 easy actions teens can take to go green (with added benefits for the whole family)
Today’s teens and tweens really care about the environment and teens like Greta Thunberg are leading voices for taking care of the Earth. Earth Day is a great opportunity to empower teens to make a difference for our planet. Here are ten easy actions teens can take to go green. Better yet, make these family […]
8 reasons the college search process can be enjoyable (really!)
Much of the conversation about the college search process focuses on the stress and pressure kids and parents feel to find and get accepted at the perfect university. And while there is a lot to the process, one aspect that I don’t hear much about is that it can be really fun. Admittedly, my kid […]
Jane Goodall explains what “the very best kind of mother” does
A couple years ago while I was driving, I heard an interview with Jane Goodall on Science Friday on NPR. I was struck by what she said about motherhood, about seven minutes into the interview. (You can listen to the full episode here.) Her insight has stuck with me for years. Today is her 85th birthday and it seemed like […]
Where to find great poems for teens for National Poetry Month
April is National Poetry Month. Poems can be powerful at any age, but especially so for teens, and this is the perfect month to introduce them to poetry. Interestingly, poetry and images of poems are popular on social media channels like Instagram and VSCO. Here are some favorite poetry books that teens can appreciate and […]