Last weekend we dropped our almost 15 year old off to work at summer camp. I haven’t heard from him in days but that’s how I know my teen is living his best life at summer camp. We spent so much of the past year in such close proximity. Just like every other family, we…
teens
3 Ways to Support Teen Technology Use and Mental Health
This post is sponsored by the Center for Parent & Teen Communication Throughout the pandemic we’ve relied on technology for school, work, and socializing. The increase in technology use has created concerns about our teen’s mental health, physical well-being, and social skills. I’ve heard parents contemplating a summer digital detox but there are better ways…
Kidpik Curates Outfits for Your Kids to Make Shopping Easy (w giveaway)
As a year of virtual/hybrid/in-person learning ends, we’re realizing exactly how much our kids have grown during the pandemic. Shorts that were ok off-camera for online school need to be replaced. Unintentional crop tops signal it’s time for a wardrobe refresh. If clothes shopping feels intimidating or just something you’d rather not do right now,…
Dear Students, We Did It!
Dear Students, I know this year hasn’t been easy. In fact, it’s been one long rollercoaster ride with more twists, turns, and loops that any of us could have ever imagined but now that our year is coming to a close, I am so glad you stuck with me on this crazy unpredictable ride. When…
Tips and Scripts for Managing Screen Time When School Is Online
We’ve just rounded the corner on the 10 month mark of our county schools being closed. With health metrics not being anywhere close to schools being able to reopen in our area and the first semester coming to a close quickly, parents everywhere are feeling fed up with online school, Managing screen time when school…
How to Teach High Schoolers Financial Literacy
This post is sponsored by Intuit When I was little, my bank issued passport-sized books that recorded deposits and withdrawals. I loved presenting it to the teller along with money received for my birthday, Christmas, or babysitting. It was always so satisfying to see the amount in my savings account increase with each deposit and…
Best Gifts for Unplugged Fun to Combat Online School Fatigue
The links in this post are affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on a link. Managing screen time limits during a pandemic has been no easy task. With school not able to be in person, our kids are relying on screens for learning and also…
2020 Gift Guide: Best STEM Gifts for Kids of All Ages (PreK-Teen)
The links in this post are affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on a link. Every year I say that my Best STEM Gifts for Kids of All Ages gift guide is the biggest one to date and this one continues the trend. There continues…
2020 Gift Guide: Best Gifts for Teens That Aren’t Gift Cards
The links in this post are affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on a link. As an 8th grade computer science teacher and mom of two teens, I spend a lot of time interacting with teens! Parenting and teaching teens definitely gives me an interesting…
6 Tips for Raising Happy, Successful Teens
This post is sponsored by The Allstate Foundation. All opinions are my own. “Being a parent will change the way you teach,” a parent volunteer told me during my third year of teaching first grade. I never would have known this had I not returned to teaching this past fall. I love a good challenge…
