Teenagers
A Mom’s Prayer
My youngest heads back for her final semester of college today after being home for Christmas break. I was blessed with everyone home for a few days together. A full house and a very full heart. My house will now be quiet again. There won’t be cups and plates all...
All Is Calm, All is Bright: What This Mom Wants for Christmas
What a year it’s been. I’m hoping I’ve stayed off the naughty list and that Santa still knows my address. So what’s on my Christmas list as a mom whose adult kids are home (briefly!) for the holidays? To fall asleep at night knowing every bed is full with the...
What College Kids Need at Thanksgiving: More Rest, Less Plans
If your college student is coming home for Thanksgiving, here is my one piece of advice: don’t plan too much and over schedule their brief time at home. College kids are tired — emotionally, socially, mentally, and physically. Many carry invisible fatigue. They’ve...
A Job About Nothing, Taught Me About Everything
My first job-job was at Video Biz, a movie rental store tucked between a Mervyn’s and a dry cleaner in my hometown strip mall. I say job-job because before that, I’d done the usual teenage hustle—babysitting, working in the high school office, and picking up odd...
Choose Wisely
Last week I injured my neck- the kind of pain that takes your breath away. My husband sat with me while I cried. He massaged my shoulders, ran to the pharmacy, set up supplies next to the couch, bought a heating pad, asked the trainers at work how to help, and...
The Secret Sauce To Talking With Your Teenager
One minute your teenager might be talking about something random, and the next they’re declaring they want to quit cheerleading—or that they have no friends. And before we even realize it, we’ve blurted out, “What?!!” (double exclamation points and all). But here’s...
The Homesick Month
It’s October, and that means pumpkin candles, leaves turning color, and Halloween decorations on the porch. But if you’re a parent who just launched a kid to college, October also means something else — the homesick month. After the excitement of move-in day fades...
Why Does My Teenager Hate Me?
Recently, a woman approached me and asked a question I think so many moms quietly carry: “Why does it sometimes feel like my daughter hates me? She’s 16 and we used to be so close. Now, she’s mean and doesn’t like me.” I looked at her face; her eyes were holding...
Bleacher Sisters
We met under stadium night lights, often sitting on cold metal bleachers and wearing team colors. We shared rides, warm blankets, and pregame nerves. We shared tears when the scoreboard didn’t go our way, and when it did, we cheered like it was the Super...
Holding On to Where They Started
There’s a trend that’s been around for a while involving high school seniors. I love it and hope it never goes away. It always makes my mom-heart swell. Seeing seniors rock backpacks that throw it all the way back to kindergarten or first grade? Pure joy. It’s fun....
