Teenagers occupy a strange in-between world. They are no longer children, but they are not yet adults. They are quick to abandon “babylike” things, then almost as quick to regret that they have done so. It is during the teen years that many of us start to wonder why […]
This presidential election has been like no other. Animosity and discord have grown tremendously over the past year. There has been name calling and mudslinging. One might say this is common in elections, but this year, things seem personal. I believe that this election is teaching us some things. We […]
Many parents have pet names for their children, often from the time they are young. Things like Princess, Slugger, Buddy, Bubba, and yes, Pumpkin. Sometimes these nicknames are then picked up by other family members and friends, even when they don’t know the origin. Some nicknames stick through life, others […]
This month is when colleges around the country invite parents to visit for Parents’ Weekend. The new students have had enough time to settle in and get comfortable with their surroundings and are ready to see Mom and Dad without being tempted to hide in their luggage on the return […]
You may remember applying for college back in the dark ages (before every home had internet). Back then you had to research schools, which often involved a library trip or the purchase of the thick and pricey college “Bible,” Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges (which I just learned now has […]
If you are the parent of a junior or senior in high school, your child has likely gotten or will soon get more mail delivered to your home in the past few months than in their entire lifetime. Many of this will be in the form of glossy brochures and […]
Everyone knows about Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. After all, they are the two largest youth-serving organizations in the United States, with more than 4 million youth members between the two. Even so, membership starts to drop off as they enter middle and high school, for a number of […]
As your child heads into senior year, you may be thinking ahead, to what lies beyond, as well as looking back, to how far you both have come. It is natural to want to hold on, just a little longer, but if you haven’t already, this is a good time […]