Teenagers

You’ve purchased all of the school supplies your child needs. Their backpack is full and ready to go. Your child’s favorite lunch foods are packed, and you even had time to stick a little love note for them in...

“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...

For three years I have been packing a cold lunch almost daily for my daughter. It’s become a hobby of mine… a bit of an obsession you might say. I have made countless themed lunches, but let’s get real...

Remember what it was like being a teenager? I do, and it’s weird that I have two of them living under my roof. One of the challenges of parenting teenagers is sorting through your past experiences while they are...

My husband and I are big fans of Malcolm Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point and Outliers. We often discuss his 10,000 hour rule with regard to our 15 years of parenting. This rule states that it takes roughly...

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...

The inner debate as to whether to go back to work or stay home after having a baby is a complicated and stressful one. The decision depends on a number of factors and sparks many questions within a family....

Recently I met my high school girlfriends for a weekend trip to Galena, Illinois. We had not been in a room together for over 25 years. As is the case with many people in their mid 40’s, we reconnected via...

Have you ever had one of those days when no matter what you say, your child (conveniently) does not hear you? You could be talking as loud as your voice allows, doing hand gestures to express yourself, while repeating...

Dear girls, This month your father and I will be married 20 years. You don’t know it yet, but you have the best dad in the world. You won’t know it for a while because he’s all you have ever...