Big Kid
Surprise: Both My Kids Start College in the Fall
My youngest is about to embark on a new adventure: college (as a dual-enrolled high schooler)! It’s weird and wonderful and scary and awesome.
Big Kid
ADHD in the Dorm: What To Buy
Those generic “what to buy for your college freshman” lists are missing some key items for our kids coping with ADHD. I’ve got some additions for that list.
Big Kid
Why Are So Many More Teens “Gender Fluid” Now?
A reader asks what the deal is with “gender fluidity” among teens; why is it on the rise, and how should we respond to it?
Big Kid
Confessions of a Recovering Naggy McNaggerson
A lifetime of nagging my children in the name of “helping” is coming to a close, because we all need me to back off. It’s hard, but I’m working on it.
Big Kid
Bathroom Remodel: Neurotic Parent of Teens Edition
A remodeling project is always fraught, but throw soon-to-fly-the-coop teens into the mix, and I’m even more neurotic than usual. Surprise.
Big Kid
How to Prep for College Without Losing Your Mind
Tired of “expert” advice on readying your high schooler to get into a top college? Me, too. I like realism, and a non-stressed kid. Here’s my take.
Big Kid
College Prep Shouldn’t Be College Madness
I’m so tired of the notion that it’s up to parents to figure out their kids’ college choices, and to do so starting in middle school, to boot. That’s silly.
Big Kid
Transitioning To An Empty Nest
I finally bought a new car, but is it just a car or the beginning of a bunch of transitions on our way to empty-nest-dom?
Big Kid
Snipping the Safety Net
I’ve always been the “Mean Mom” and it’s weird to pull back and let my nearly-adult teen make her own choices, but I have to trust her. It turns out, I do.
Big Kid
College Worries, Big and Small
As I try to prepare both my kid for college and myself for her launch out of the nest next year, I’m realizing my worrying strategy may be skewed.
Big Kid
ADHD and College Prep: The Last Frontier?
My high school senior is more ready for college than I’d imagined, except for this one little issue that could turn into a giant issue. I have to trust her.
Big Kid
Teens: Learning To Let Go
Micromanagement is my middle name, but as my kids approach adulthood I’m actively scaling back so they can shine in spite of me.
Education
Busting College Application Myths
In the fall-of-senior-year panic of “must”s and “should”s, I think applying to college ends up being a lot scarier than it needs to be. Relax. You can do this!
Big Kid
Senior Year Retail Therapy
Am I crazy for shopping for my kid’s college dorm room nearly a year ahead of time? Crazy like a fox, maybe. I have my reasons.
Big Kid
May I Have This (Senior Year) Dance?
With just one (short) year left before college, I have to figure out how to give my oldest enough room to get ready to launch. We’re getting there.
Big Kid
College Planning: Real Questions For College Tours
Visiting college campuses? It’s an exciting and terrifying time. Here’s some questions to ask while you’re touring to help keep the overwhelm to a minimum.
Big Kid
Summer House Rules For The Teens
Summer rules? Sure, we’re looking for that sweet spot between “micromanaged” and “left to their own devices.” I don’t know if we found it, but it feels close.
Big Kid
Loosening The Reins Before College
We have just one short year left before my oldest heads off to college. That means it’s time to start pulling back on some rules and letting her figure it out.
Big Kid
Laundry Cheat Sheet for Your College-Bound Graduate
Do you know a graduate that will need this when s/he leaves for college soon? Just download a copy of my Laundry Cheat Sheet and print to share with him or her.
Big Kid
College Planning: Mid-Junior-Year Check-In
Time marches on, and now that my kid is halfway through her junior year, college planning is beginning in earnest. There’s so much to think about!