Education
Great Graduation Speeches: Because We All Need A Little Inspiration
There are some graduation speeches that seem to resonate with a lot of us. They make us think, laugh, and hopefully embolden us to be better people.
Big Kid
Thoughts From An Almost-Empty Nest
I never felt like the years were flying by until now, and with my kids finishing up high school, we’re thinking about what comes next after they go.
Education
The Homework Blues: Five Strategies for a Better Experience
Homework can be hard on families and we can all benefit from been-there-done-that advice and should be open to learning about new helpful resources, too.
Parenting
Nerves, Fears, Tears: a High School Orientation Story
“I feel like I don’t belong here.” She said. Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. How could I just get up and leave her in a place where she felt so alone?
Big Kid
What to Do When College Decisions Arrive (Hint: Don’t Panic!)
If you have a high school senior, chances are college acceptances and rejections are rolling in, and along with them, some angst. Don’t panic!
Big Kid
Another Portrait of Senior Year Triumph (or not)
As my youngest barrels through his senior year of high school right after my oldest, I’m reminded of what I love (and don’t) about this time of life.
Big Kid
A Big Transition: Hello, Public High School (Goodbye, Homeschool)
My tips for a mother who is transitioning her high school freshman from homeschooling to public school.
Big Kid
Senior Year: The Last First Day and The First of Many Lasts
I thought getting my oldest off to college was the hardest transition, but now it’s time for the last everything as her little brother heads into senior year.
Big Kid
Like Spreading Out an Enormous Pile of Rocks
Graduation is almost here, and so are all of the feelings that accompany it. Time to make a to-do list and focus on that, I guess.
Big Kid
Help, My Teens Refuse to Study!
A reader wants to know how you teach kids to study when they’re resistant to doing so. This may not be the answer she wants, but it’s all I’ve got.
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
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
“Thank you” is Not Enough: When a Teacher is So Much More
Even though we’ve been incredibly lucky to have a great teacher in our lives as long as we have, saying goodbye is never easy.
Big Kid
Life’s Not Fair, Whether I Help My Teens or Not
The knife-edge between encouraging my teens to self-advocate and stepping in while I still can is a precarious one, especially in a world that’s unfair.
Big Kid
To Label Or Not To Label, That Is The Question
A reader wants to know the value of putting a label on a struggling older child, or does it even matter? I have strong opinions on this one.
Big Kid
Mother/Daughter Dynamics, On and Off Stage
With just a few months left before my oldest flies the coop, we survived being in a show together (and had a blast).
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
Push. Pull.
As the clock ticks down on my oldest’s remaining time at home before launch, the pushing and pulling between us intensifies, bittersweet.
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
The Glass Is Exactly As Full As It Should Be
While trying to balance helping my autistic son’s potential and limitations, I don’t always get it right. The good news is, he does, in spite of me.