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
Autism and Illness: Our Last Frontier?
As my autistic son grows and matures, his awareness and coping skills grow, too. But I’m still grappling with his awareness (or lack thereof) when he’s sick.
Big Kid
Help! How Do I Handle These Disturbing Teenage Texts?
Did you ever check your teen’s texts and find yourself horrified by what their friends are saying? A reader wants to know if she’s overreacting.
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.
Food & Home
Pancakes (Recipes Kids Should Know How To Cook Before Leaving Home)
Teaching older kids how to make pancakes from scratch is easier than you think. Here’s our tutorial especially for kids; another recipe that kids should know how to cook before they leave home.
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
Why Don’t Teens Want Their Driver’s Licenses Anymore?
If you have a teen, chances are you’ve encountered the puzzling phenomenon of your kid not caring about driving. What?? Why don’t today’s teens want to drive?
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
How To Handle The “Bad” Girlfriend
A reader is worried her young teen son’s girlfriend is a bad influence; there’s lots to unpack, here, but I give it my best shot.
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
Zen and the Art of Molasses Cookies
Through years of challenges, one cookie has steadied me every single holiday season. Is it magic? Maybe. I’m not going to rule it out.
Holidays
Milk Carton Christmas Village Craft
Lots of holiday company and lots of creamy delicious holiday desserts has brought an abundance of milk and cream cartons through our refrigerator and instead of just tossing them this year I washed them out and saved them to upcycle and craft into a simple Christmas village!
Big Kid
Harassment vs. Helicoptering
A reader asks if she should stop in when her middle schooler is being harassed, or if it’s too much. I have soap box for this one.
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
Teenagers and Bad News Parties: What Do We Tell Them?
A reader asks how we deal with teens and the specter of poor teen decisions about drugs and alcohol and parties.
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.
Big Kid
Thanksgiving Apart: Still Thankful
Our family won’t be together this week, but that’s okay — it’s helping me focus on what’s really important, and how thankful I truly am.
Parenting
So, About Kids And Religion…
A recent study says religious kids aren’t as nice as non-religious ones. As a somewhat religiously-confused parent, I’m not sure what to think.