I have never felt comfortable thinking of myself as a real writer, but the feedback I have been getting from my latest book makes me feel like one. I knew friends, and possibly friends of friends, would buy from online places like Amazon and Barnes and Noble, but I was blown away today when a … Continue reading I am a writer →

I was over the moon and shared on social media. Imagine my surprise when friends not only congratulated me, but also bought copies of the book. One friend downloaded the Kindle version and was texting me some of the chapters she liked best! I have not even gotten my complementary copies from the publisher yet... … Continue reading My book is on amazon.com →

What. A. Week. It started with me getting the mail on my way to pick up the teen boy from school. I started this routine since he is super comfortable driving home from school, so I use some of the time to sort through the mail as I ride in that fun front passenger side … Continue reading What a week! →

I stumbled onto this letter written to moms of teens on social media this week. The basics are that there is so much support when our kiddos are young, but all of that changes in late middle school. So. Very. True. Being a mom of a teenager can be very isolating. I could relate to … Continue reading Letter to moms of teens…continued →

A friend of mine sent me this article about teaching teens the value of kindness and how it is such an important skill. I agree with the writer that our teenagers are very egocentric, mostly thinking of themselves. I think part of this is our fault as parents. I know at our house we tend … Continue reading Teaching kindness to teens →

As I was snapping my token first day of school picture this morning, I started thinking about all the pictures that have been taken on this front porch and how much my children have changed over the years. It is hard to believe they are both in high school, and the teen boy will be … Continue reading Back to school over the years →

It happens every summer, but this summer it feels so much worse. I call it the end of summer stress. That time when all scheduled activities are done, but it is still not time for the start of the new school year. We tried to be proactive by scheduling back to back vacations with the … Continue reading End of summer stress →

The teen girl had the opportunity to see Khalid in concert... in Charlotte... on a work night... this summer. That was a big nope for me, for many reasons. So like I did for her very first concert, I paid for the ticket and sent her with a cool mom who was willing to make … Continue reading Managing your needs and your teen’s needs →

The teen girl has had a rough summer, but I am proud of how she has handled some truly hurtful behaviors. She has a great support network of friends as she prepares to start high school and plans on playing sports, which I hope will help keep her brain and body busy in a positive … Continue reading Communicating with teens →

We have always been good about recycling, but after the teen girl attended a Special Studies Day at the end of 8th grade, we kicked it up a notch. For the changes we made then, click here to read that post. In true 14 year old girl fashion, she started the discussion about the changes … Continue reading Saving the planet part two →