As I scrolled Facebook, a post from a writer friend in California stopped me in my tracks. Arlene Pellicane announced that her family had to cancel their epic Italian vacation because the kids’ passports weren’t in compliance for international travel. Next, I received an email newsletter from my professional organizer friend, Danielle Wurth, talking about […]
Who’s bright idea was it to think that giving our youth iPhones was a good idea? And why have we continued to follow along knowing that giving our kids iPhones isn’t smart? I’m not sure how our family fell into society’s technology trap, but we did. Our teenagers have personal smartphones, but they don’t come without limits, rules, […]
Summer fun doesn’t plan itself! With our busy family schedule, I was thrilled to find The 2019 Essential Summer Vacation Calendar. It’s the perfect tool to help me visually lay out how we are going to spend the kids’ nine weeks of summer break. When do we have scheduled summer camps or organized activities? When do […]
Our screen-obsessed, competitive society makes it harder than ever to raise happy, thriving kids. But there are tried-and-true methods that can help. Instead of rearing a generation of children who are overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, and who struggle to become independent, responsible adults, parents can create a culture that promotes the growth of important character traits […]
Screen-Free Week brings awareness to the most significant battlefield we face as parents raising children in popular culture today- Technology. However, technology is not the problem- our time and habits on our screens are the real issues. I know the importance of purposely providing kids with a screen detox. It’s one of the reasons we […]
Don’t pay your kid for scoring goals in a game. Don’t pay them for achieving A’s on their report card or for eating their vegetables. Don’t pay your child for doing the dishes, sweeping the floor or scrubbing their toilet. Instead pay your child a consistent allowance because he is a contributing, valued member of […]
It’s that time of year when teenage boys around America are expected to put on a production to ask a girl to the traditional high school dance. Is the Promposal modern-day chivalry or plain nonsense? After a long day of school and varsity baseball practice, my son and his friend trudged through our house carrying […]
See a penny pick it up, and all the day you’ll have good luck. Or perhaps the copper coin can instead bless another as you drop it into your family Blessing Jar. For years, I wanted to start a Christmas Jar in our family. I loved the idea, wanted to do the tradition, but I […]
Want to know what your child is dealing with out in the world when it comes to peer relationships? Their self-concept? How about their thoughts on difficult topics like sexuality, social media, technology, or drugs and alcohol? Thanks to Adam Brooks new product, Drivealogue, parents now have a more natural way to discuss tough and timely […]
November is National Adoption Month and a perfect time for this weekend’s release of the new movie “Instant Family.” I was able to recently preview the film and shared my thoughts on why you should go see “Instant Family” over at Raising Arizona Kids Magazine. As a foster-adoptive parent, I laughed and cried my way […]
