10 bucket list trips to take with teens
This post is sponsored by Celebrity Cruises, but the desire to go to these destinations is all my own. As my teen draws nearer to high school graduation, there’s still so much to do before she launches into the world. While there are skills to be learned, of course, I keep coming back to all […]
The 3 things I must do to be an acceptable parent (and why I’m chucking every other “must do” list)
Tonight when scrolling through social media I noticed that several of the pages I follow are sharing lists of things I must do – books I must read, podcasts I must listen to, five things I must tell my daughter. I’ve been blogging nearly 7 years. I’m pretty sure that I’ve written posts like that […]
Exciting new trailers for Avengers: Endgame and Aladdin
There are two fun new movie trailers out this week that will get you excited about films headed to theaters this spring. There is a lot of buzz surrounding the trailer for Avengers: Endgame, which picks up after the “grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and […]
Letter to my teen about the college admissions craziness
Like many, I read today the news today of Operation Varsity Blues, a federal probe into a college admissions cheating scandal that ensnared many wealthy elites, from Hollywood actresses to the co-chair of a large law firm to business leaders. “This is a case where they flaunted their wealth, sparing no expense, to cheat the […]
4 Fun family events in Chicago this spring that teens and tweens will love
Spring is almost here, and in Chicago, that means celebrating the end of hibernation. With the Polar Vortex behind us, it’s time to get back out there and explore the wonders of the Windy City. Whether you live here or are visiting for Spring break, here are four fun family events to do with tweens and […]
21 things I often think to myself as the parent of a teen
I’m the parent of a teen, which I’m often talking to myself as I try to understand the behavior of an adolescent with a still-developing prefrontal cortex. I’ve found that there are a few phrases that come to mind most on a daily basis. In no particular order, here are 21 things I often think […]
Roundup of expert advice on common teen parenting topics
“Kids are hard,” my friend said this weekend and my girlfriends who had gathered from four different states, and are all moms of teens, nodded so hard in agreement that we may have sprained our necks. Over the course of our weekend together, we touched on some common topics that are issues for us all. […]
Why Galentine’s Day matters, especially to moms of teens
February 13th is Galentine’s Day, a holiday focused on female friendship. The idea of celebrating female friendship wasn’t new, but Leslie Knope on Parks and Rec gave the event some needed publicity by hosting a Galentine’s Day gathering in an episode in 2010. Since then, the celebration of Galentine’s Day has caught on, and not […]
Unplugged activities to do with teens & tweens indoors when it is frigid outside
Greetings from the middle of the polar vortex! Did you know it will be colder in Chicago tomorrow than it is in Siberia, Antarctica, Mt. Everest, and pretty much everywhere else? School has been cancelled three days this week and well, friends, we’re spending a lot of time together as a family. While we love […]
7 emotions parents of teens feel every single day
Adolescence is challenging in part because it makes one really emotional, and by “one,” I mean the parent of the adolescent. Raising a teen is often likened to riding a rollercoaster, but that may be an understatement. I charted the emotions that came with parenting for a few days. It was a lot. Here are seven […]