Thank you, Science. I opened the mailbox last week and pulled out a thin envelope from the hospital reminding me that it was time for my annual mammogram. The prevalence of breast cancer among my friends reminds me to be ever-vigilant. I dutifully scheduled an appointment and added it to my calendar because, well, health. Later that…
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I sat in my car idling as I read her text, “I’m coming mom!” and then I waited and waited for her to come. This is the life of every parent who has tweens or teens with busy schedules who have yet to drive themselves to all the different destinations and back. It gets rather tedious and so…
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When my kids were young, I would define it as helping, loving and caring. When the animal project fell apart and they were in tears, I helped them rebuild and make it better. When a much-needed textbook was forgotten in a classroom, my husband and daughter jumped in the car after school hours, tracked down the janitor and retrieved…
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Parenting humbles you. “I would never,” said I, ten years ago, “do my child’s homework.” Those are smug words, and those are stupid words. “Never say never.” Through no virtue of my own, I cracked the code of reading and math early, and so found the classroom a rewarding place to be. I cried at the end of first…
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What This Mom Said, and Why, When Her Teen Confessed to Vaping My daughter comes home from high school football games always excited to share all the crazy ways the kids celebrate the spirit of the game in the student section. She’s often covered with colored powder, sweaty and smiling with stories and selfies that reflect all the fun….
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With your words YOU have the power to change your kids life. Amidst the frenzy our busy lives we need to remember to pause and take a time out to nourish our kids souls and strengthen our relationships. Our kids need our encouraging words to fuel their dreams, to know without a shadow of a doubt that…
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I’ve been reading and researching the Momo Challenge for five days. Before Tuesday, I had never even heard of it. By Friday, a link came home in our middle school principal’s weekly update encouraging parents to educate themselves about it. And as of this weekend, “Momo” is trending on Google search engines in the United States, Australia, Canada,…
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Take a trip with me down memory lane… Years ago, I was standing in my kitchen, when my tween yelled, “I hate you!” at the top of her lungs. Wow. I was stunned. It was as if someone punched me in the gut or perhaps it’s more accurate to say I felt like I’d been hit with a…
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Dear mom who struggles with anxiety, Parenting our growing kids is worrisome for anyone, but if you’re struggling with anxiety, it can be downright brutal. I know. I get it. I get you. It’s hard enough to worry about the well-being of our kids, the safety of our children, and all the details of raising our big…
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Help me. I’m a theater mom. I mean, I’m not A THEATER MOM, but I am the mom of a child who does theater. A lot of theater. After mothering her through the audition process for twelve shows, I’ve learned some basic survival skills. To block off the calendar for the weekend. To stock up on Kleenex. To…
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Parents make thousands of decisions every day. Some small: Yes, you can wear those socks even though they are mismatched and in no way coordinate with your outfit. Some bigger: No, you can not eat cookie dough for breakfast. Again. Some non-negotiable: You will not use your phone at the table – ever. Sometimes we make good decisions:, and…
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Dear wonderful, hard-working, unconditionally loving Mom, I have a feeling you might need a little love and appreciation today; a little reminder how much what you do matters. I know that raising tweens and teens isn’t always easy, in fact many days it’s down right hard. Everything is changing. Hormones are raging. Electronics are crazy making. And you…
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