How to Help Your Teen with Back to School Anxiety

How to Help Your Teen with Back to School Anxiety

Each and every summer I have a Back to School anxiety dream. While each year is slightly different, they are all variations on the same theme. It’s the first day of school and I’m not prepared.  Some years, I’m a student and I miss the 

Resources for Talking to Teens About Race & Racism

Resources for Talking to Teens About Race & Racism

As a social studies teacher, I had MANY difficult conversations with my teen students, including race and racism. My brown and black students already knew what I was talking about because they and their families lived it. I was teaching race and racism to the 

11 Life Skills All Teens Need to Know

11 Life Skills All Teens Need to Know

“Thank you so much for writing that recommendation for me. Can you help me with this envelope I have to send it in? How do I write an address on it?”   That year (before college apps went digital) I had not one, but TWO, high 

Why You Need to Volunteer at Your Teen’s School

Why You Need to Volunteer at Your Teen’s School

Recently, my neighbor said she’s become the “Room Mom” for her 1st grader’s classroom. As she talked about all the ways she was helping the teacher I thought, “Why don’t they have this at the high school level? I would have killed for this.” But 

9 Top Christmas Movies to Watch with Your Teen

9 Top Christmas Movies to Watch with Your Teen

If I let him, my husband would set up our Christmas decorations on November 1. But I won’t let him. I firmly believe in celebrating one holiday at a time. So, no decorations until after Thanksgiving. And then we go big. Big tree, lots of 

3 Ways to Help Your Teen Own Their Education

3 Ways to Help Your Teen Own Their Education

When I started college, I was shocked by what my fellow freshmen were unable to do – laundry, making their beds, making a simple meal, and the list went on. Some of them were having a LOT of problems handling the adult portion of their 

Why and How You Should Read With Your Teen

Why and How You Should Read With Your Teen

Have you ever seen the movie The Princess Bride? The book starts with a grandfather reading a book aloud to his grandson. The grandson is less than excited in the beginning, but gets more and more into the book as the plot progresses. By the 

Prepare for Back-to-School: Make It a Great Year

Prepare for Back-to-School: Make It a Great Year

I’m a planner, especially when it comes to Back-to-School season. This lady prepares early. So, I planned my first day of school outfit several weeks in advance. As one does. However, one year I did not account for Restaurant Week. If your city doesn’t have 

What to Expect When Your Teen Starts High School

What to Expect When Your Teen Starts High School

My first day of teaching was also my students’ first day of high school. (Yay for teaching all 9th graders!)  I’m not sure who was more scared. As I nervously sweated through my clothes (TMI?), I realized my students were all terrified. Huge eyes, nervous 

Help Your Teen Have a Fun & Productive Summer

Help Your Teen Have a Fun & Productive Summer

School’s out for summer! As both a student and a teacher I looked forward to summer vacation, probably even more as a teacher. While I do believe in an old-fashioned summer for kids, that doesn’t mean that your teen should stare at a screen the