Big Kid
Mother/Daughter Communication By Any Other Name
Talking with my teen daughter can be fraught, so I’m taking the back door on communication whenever I can. Every little bit is a win.
Products & Services
Blue Apron and Getting Your Teens Cooking Dinner
I hope someday my teens will leave me and be able to feed themselves more than just ramen. So when the opportunity to try out Blue Apron came up, I said yes.
Big Kid
When “Sick” Isn’t Straightforward
I’m busy teaching my special-needs teens the things they’ll need to know when they’re off at college, but how do I teach them to recognize when they’re sick?
Big Kid
The Dance Of Disclosure
To disclose or not to disclose: that’s the question when you’re dealing with special needs and increasing independence. My teens are figuring it out.
Health & Safety
Dieting In The Wake Of Anorexia
Years of trying to send the “food is awesome!” message while my child struggled with anorexia left me unhealthy; now I have to figure out healthy dieting.
Big Kid
Independence For Lunch, One Way Or Another
Challenging my teenager to manage her own school lunches is giving me palpitations, but it’s time and—one way or another—she can handle it.
Big Kid
To Sleep, Perchance To Teen
Most teens don’t get enough sleep, but it’s not as though we can force them into REM. How do we keep them healthy and keep out of bedtime battles?
Your Life
Crisis House Rules
Now that I’m older and (hopefully) wiser, I’d rather make some rules for helping myself in times of crisis than point out stuff other people did “wrong.”
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
Making Our Moments Count
When did life become so short? Why did I wait so long to make the most out of my time with my daughter? Notes on the long and the short of motherhood.
Big Kid
The Unbearable Wrongness of Sportsing
I was never a sporty kid, and my own children never want to exercise, either. How do I set them up for good lifelong habits when I can’t get them off the couch?
Your Life
Dogs Are Easier Than Teenagers (Sometimes)
I’m okay being a Dog Person (and talking to my favorite creatures in a high squeaky voice), but a new visitor is throwing me for a loop.
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!
Health & Safety
When Winter is Shorts Weather for Kids
Yes, I am the not-so-proud owner of an 11-year-old boy who refuses to wear pants in the winter. He (very strongly) insists on wearing shorts year-round, even when the temperature is only in the high 20’s.
Big Kid
Date Night Meets Home Alone
Sometimes I forget that in just a few shorts years, my kids will be grown and (hopefully) flown. I guess I’d better start getting ready.
Big Kid
Letting Go Of Normal
Is normal a real thing? Should I be wishing my special-needs kids were normal? I’m not even sure it’s real, and if it is, well, it’s not for us.
Big Kid
Pride And Prejudice And Siblings
Sure, we know to avoid comparing siblings to one another, but in trying to bolster and protect my kids this way, I very nearly screwed up even more.
Big Kid
More Than Just A Birthday
Birthdays with teenagers can feel a lot like a timer ticking down, but sometimes they feel like victory, too. For my late bloomer, this birthday feels huge.
Big Kid
Notes From The Passenger Seat
It’s hard to believe I’m teaching my oldest to drive, but here we are (still alive and liking each other, even). It’s a learning process, for both of us.
Big Kid
If You’re Shallow And You Know It, Clap Your Hands!
I’ve never been the kind of parent to go for the flashy or extravagant gift for my kids, except I finally did, and it feels fantastic.