This Election Day, teach teens both why and how to vote
There are countless social media posts imploring you to vote tomorrow. I second that sentiment. I’d like to also strongly encourage you, as a citizen and as a parent, to talk with your teens about two things: why you’re voting, and how they can vote when the time comes. Kids, including even eye-rolling teens, are […]
Expert advice on how adults can help end bullying and raise upstanders
October is National Bullying Prevention Month. More than one out of every five (20.8%) students report being bullied, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics, 2016. Gene Liebler, LCSW, the Executive Director of Behavioral Health at La Rabida Children’s Hospital, answered some of our questions about what we can do to stop bullying. The good news […]
Great YA books about today’s big issues for teens and why parents should read them, too
Books can be a wonderful way for parents to connect with their tweens and teens. Not only is there the shared experience of reading itself and sharing opinions about the books, but adolescents typically find it much easier to talk about characters than themselves. Regan McMahon, Deputy Editor of Books at Common Sense Media (one […]
The unexpected skills my teen is learning from standardized test tutoring
This is the second in a series on our experience with Academic Approach. You can read the first post here and watch a Facebook Live I did on what parents need to know about the ACT and SAT with Andrew Ferguson of Academic Approach here. We received a few free sessions and are now continuing […]
How parents can handle teen eye rolls
Parenting a teen means being on the receiving end of some serious eye rolls from your offspring. It’s just part of the job. One would think there’s some developmental milestone about checking the top of the head for holes, but no. via GIPHY The question is – what’s the best way to handle all the […]
9 Favorite apple items at Trader Joe’s
October is National Apple Month. They are a little less controversial than that other fall flavor that has taken over, pumpkin. They may not be as trendy, either, but they’re delicious. You don’t have to spend time in an orchard or a ton of time in the kitchen to enjoy the autumnal awesomeness of apples. […]
Girl Up empowers girls on Day of the Girl and everyday
Happy International Day of the Girl! It was created by the United Nations General Assembly in 2011 to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights as well as focus attention on the challenges they face. I wanted to celebrate Day of the Girl by sharing information about Girl Up, a campaign of the […]
Q&A on managing kids and technology with FOSI CEO Stephen Balkam
As the founder and CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute, Stephen Balkam spends a lot of time thinking and talking about managing kids and technology. As the father of two daughters, he’s spent a lot of time figuring out how to parent digital kids. He recently sat down and answered a few questions. Between Us Parents […]
4 ways to celebrate Banned Books Week with your tweens and teens
It’s Banned Books Week! Why the excitement, you may ask? Because it underpins things I love – freedom, independent thought, reading, bravery, and standing up for what you believe. The theme for this year’s Banned Books Week is “Banning Books Silences Stories.” Here are four ways to make the most of Banned Books Week with your […]
Friday fun: 3 fabulous film trailers that will make you smile
Hellllooooooo, Friday! It’s been a week, and I’m in need of some smiles and fun to kick off the weekend on a good note. Thankfully, the good folks at Disney Studios have been working hard this week and released not one, not two, but three fabulous film trailers this week. Not only will they make […]