Big Kid
Why Your Teen Should Join Marching Band
Think marching band is geeky? It is, but it’s also a great way for any teen to find a great tribe, stay busy, and have a boatload of fun.
Big Kid
A College Education, the Key to a Happy Life or Not?
A realistic look at the benefit of attending a private 4-year college education versus the amount of money it will cost.
Big Kid
Lunch Boxes Of The Teen And Quirky
Worried that your teen is the only one whose lunch isn’t Pinterest-worthy? Allow me to make you feel a lot better about your life (and lunch) choices.
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!
Big Kid
When Smart Isn’t So Smart
Is being gifted all it’s cracked up to be? In some cases, it can be more of a hindrance to success than you might think.
Big Kid
Dear Teacher: My Disabled Child Is Not Lazy
Having an invisible disability is hard; having an invisible disability as a high school student and being scoffed at by a teacher is worse. Don’t be that teacher.
Big Kid
Dear Cal: Advice To My Teenage Daughter (Part 1)
A couple of life lessons I have learned and want to pass on to my 13-year-old daughter, Cal, before she enters high school about age and frenemies.
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
Lesson Learned: All Apologies
One of my teens learned a hard lesson about not always getting the apology you deserve, and I realized I have a long way to go in this area, too.
Big Kid
When My Kids Grow Up, I Want Them To Be Flexible
Today’s kids are being pushed to pick out their career paths way too young, I think, and I’d rather we teach them to keep an open mind and adventuresome spirit.
Big Kid
A Tale Of Two Posters
With my teens sharing a class for the first time, the inevitable comparisons are making me wonder how I can coax the best out of each of them.
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
Is Technology Making Us Better Parents?
We have the illusion of control and the peace of mind that comes with technology. But are we better parents or the same parents with more to feel guilty about?
Big Kid
Marching Band Redux: Finding A Good One
A good marching band can be a fabulous high school experience for your child, but how do you know if a program is a good one? Here’s some things to consider.
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
The March Begins: College Planning, Ahoy!
Got a high school junior? It’s time to start planning for college! Here is some advice for finding the balance between being smart and not freaking out.
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
Taking The Power Struggle Out Of Homework Struggles
Power struggles with your teen may feel inevitable, but when you add homework issues to the mix, is there any hope for peace and productivity? I say yes.
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
“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.