Teenagers

For my family and me, moving to Iowa in 2012 was, in many respects, like moving to a new country. Shoveling snow, combating gnats, and acquiring snow pants were all new to us. Over the past three years my...

“I’ll never be able to tie my shoes; it’s too hard!” Sound familiar? As parents, it can be difficult to navigate through the various struggles our children encounter as they grow. We want to encourage and help–heck, we may even...

Smart phones. Nearly every woman, man, teenager, child, and dog has one. Okay, maybe not the dog, but you get my point. Smartphones are everywhere and used everyday. Mine recently took a “vacation” to my brother’s house two hours...

Teaching your kids about money is so important. As a parent, it’s one of our biggest jobs to adequately prepare our kids for their adult lives, and managing money is a huge requirement of adulthood. But it can be...

“Mom, are there any chores I can do to earn an extra $10?” This is a common question in our house. We're glad our kids have learned that if they want to earn something extra, they need to work for...

“That’s it! Go to your room! I don’t want to see you for the rest of the day!” “You go sit in the corner and think about what you’ve done!” “If you don’t stop it right now, you’re going...

Allegedly, the year begins in January and ends in December. That's what our calendars tell us. But to me, the more accurate representation is that the year begins in August and ends in May, coinciding with the school calendars...

I had the privilege of going to some great concerts with my 17-year-old daughter, Rachel, this summer. I thought it was a little strange that she chose to take me–her mom–instead of maybe a friend. So I thought I...

Many cultures have a coming-of-age ceremony. A 13-year-old Jewish person has a Bar or a Bat Mitzvah. A young Latina may have a quinceanera. A young man of the Hamar tribe of Ethiopia jumps over a bull. My family is...

When I walk through the library I am used to seeing clusters of teenagers all looking at their phones. Recently I realized those same teenage groups are now talking to each other while looking at their phones. My initial...