If any parent in 2019 says they know exactly what their teen is doing online, they are liars. I am just going to put that out there. In the early teen years, I tried to police my children's screen time and where they were going on the internet. It was hard work and not that … Continue reading Monitoring teen screen time →

I have learned to be more mindful of managing stress as I enter middle age. Things that were not typically stressful in previous years tend to be triggers for stress and anxiety now. Here are 6 things I do to keep my stress under control. Let it go. No, not the Frozen movie theme song. … Continue reading Managing stress in middle age →

My oldest has had his learner's permit for about 4 months now. Unlike a lot of teens his age, he is very motivated to drive. I think teens are less interested in driving in general because they are already so connected with their friends via social media and other technology. Back when I was a … Continue reading Helping your teen learn to drive →

We just finished up spring break at our house, so I thought I would share 4 ways to make traveling for spring break fun for you and your teens. Yes, it is possible. Have a schedule of expected activities that the entire family will attend. In our family, we have the husband (AKA travel task … Continue reading Spring break with teens →

We are on spring break checking off some life bucket list items. Yesterday we split up and had a mid day nap break (more on how to happily travel with teens in the next blog post). So imagine my surprise when my daughter barges into the bedroom screaming for me to talk to daddy. Then … Continue reading Losing a pet in middle age →