Healthy family relationships, like a healthy diet, are everything. Being a teenager is hard. Parenting a teenager is hard. The closest thing we have to a handbook is the Center for Parent and Teen Communication. Where was this when my dad and I were butting heads in the 80s? I am … [Read more...] about From Helicopter Parent to Lighthouse Parent
parenting
Looks Like We Made It
I've seen Barry Manilow in concert three times and I'm not ashamed to admit it. His songs are the tunes of my youth that take me back to when my parents had parties in our wood paneled basement with the pleather recliner and vinyl topped bar. The kids played outside, having been … [Read more...] about Looks Like We Made It
The Only Testing We Should Be Doing is Covid Testing
Children, their parents, and educators deserve applause for surviving this pandemic year. Thriving is a privilege if you ask me. Hell, nothing about me is thriving right now, and I live a charmed life. These are tough times, and the standard measuring stick to gauge progress just … [Read more...] about The Only Testing We Should Be Doing is Covid Testing
On the Eve of the First Day of School – 2020 Edition
Dear Bird and Deal, I usually write you a letter before the beginning of the school year to tell you what I hope the year ahead holds for you. My feelings are more complex and jumbled this year. Even as a writer, I struggle to put words to my emotions. I can’t quite name what … [Read more...] about On the Eve of the First Day of School – 2020 Edition
10 Things Staying Home Taught Me About Going to School
I do not homeschool for a reason. For many reasons. Let me be clear, the paradigm we are in now is not homeschooling. We are all just trying to function without going feral. We've had two weeks of ramen and screen time around here, so you can send me my blue ribbon for parenting … [Read more...] about 10 Things Staying Home Taught Me About Going to School
When There’s a Will, There’s a Way
Death isn't something we talk about comfortably. We particularly eschew the subject in our American culture. It's admittedly not pleasant, but it's so very vital. I spent ten years volunteering with pediatric bone marrow transplant patients so I unfortunately dealt with death in … [Read more...] about When There’s a Will, There’s a Way
Connections Matter
The world is indisputably more connected than ever before. Yet paradoxically, we are also more disconnected. Face to face interactions are replaced by screens with time delay jerkiness and buffering. We don't inherently look people in the eyes, and parents are constantly … [Read more...] about Connections Matter