Big Kid
How Much Privacy for a Tween/Teen?
Today’s question is about teaching kids the value of privacy without violating theirs… except sometimes they don’t get that privacy, right?
Big Kid
Different and the Same, Nearly-Grown Edition
Life with teens is completely different than life with little kids, and yet there are echoes everywhere of days past. Maybe it’s not so different, after all.
Big Kid
Things I Never Knew I’d Say
We’ve all had that weird “I just told my toddler to stop licking the cat” moment, but it doesn’t get any less weird when they’re teens, actually.
Big Kid
Help! How Do I Make My Teen Dress For The Weather?
It’s a dilemma as old as time: Teenagers choosing to dress to trends rather than weather. Do I have the solution? Sort of.
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.
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
Managing A Tween Mean Girl BFF
Was there ever a girl who made it through the school years without finding herself friends with a mean girl? Now Mom has to figure out how to best handle it.
Big Kid
The Opposite of FOMO
Figuring out how to balance my teens’ natural aversion to leaving their comfort zones and honoring their awareness of themselves is tricky business.
Big Kid
Your Teen Should Be Sleeping More
Is your teenager getting enough sleep? Probably not, but you can encourage good sleep habits and they’ll be healthier and happier for it.
Health & Safety
Why Are Girls With Autism Different?
It’s often said that girls on the autism spectrum “present differently,” but what exactly does that mean? Today we’re looking at both generalities and a few hallmark specifics of how autistic girls are unlike their male counterparts.
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
Teen Dating: It Doesn’t Have To Be Scary
If your kids are reaching dating age, don’t panic! With a little patience and a lot of communication, you’ll all get through it okay.
Big Kid
5 Unexpected Life Lessons For My Teens
I should be an old hand at parenting by now, but there’s no shortage of surprises in it for me, even now. I handle it as best I can and hope the kids are okay.
Crafts
Washi Tape and Wrapping Paper Book Covers DIY
Carrying heavy books can be such a drag for students. You can’t lighten their load but you can brighten it with some fun book covers you can make together.
Big Kid
Not Actually About Cars
I didn’t even know Range Anxiety was a real thing until I felt it behind the wheel of a car… at which point I realized I feel it all the time with my teens.
Big Kid
Help, My Teen Girl Isn’t Fitting In
A mom wants to help her daughter make friendships with the girls at her dance studio even though her daughter doesn’t seem interested in doing so. What can and should she do?
Big Kid
Motherhood (And Personhood) In Flux
I thought that once my kids were nearly grown I’d have everything figured out, but the truth is that as they change, I do, too, and I’m still figure it out.
Big Kid
Senior Year of High School: The Flip Side Of Struggle
Will I be sad during my oldest’s high school senior year? No way — the gift her struggles gave us turns out to be an abundant appreciation of forward movement.
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.