Your job as a parent is not to shape your child into who you want them to be. Instead, your role is to support them as they grow into their own unique person. This journey can be challenging, but it is also incredibly rewarding. The Importance of Understanding Your Child When I was growing up, it was common for parents to gift their teens a membership to AAA—the emergency roadside assistance service. This gift helped parents feel secure about their kids' safety as they starte

Summer is a time to relax and recharge, but it can also be a period where children and teens struggle to maintain balance. While it’s important for young people to have freedom from the rigid structure of school, too much unstructured time can lead to feelings of boredom, isolation, or even anxiety. According to social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, a balanced life includes opportunities for growth, both mentally and emotionally. Haidt’s research emphasizes the importance of pr

The transition to college marks a huge milestone—not just for students, but for their parents too. While your child is learning to navigate independence, regular communication with you can remain a powerful source of support. Research from Washington State University shows that students who maintain regular contact with their parents report lower stress levels, reduced anxiety and depression, and even fewer high-risk behaviors like excessive drinking. However, there’s a balan

Last night I learned what a crip walk is and why it was important for Serena Williams to be on stage at the Super Bowl doing it. I also learned that there is a Pulitzer Prize for music. Earlier I learned how to better capture a reflection in a photo by changing a setting on my phone. And last month I learned what fast fashion is, how it affects poor countries, and where to shop instead. I am better today because I have a new skill and a deeper knowledge about what's impor

https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/book "I'm bored." "Bye mom! I'm going out to play!" In the Bay Area these are not phrases we hear very often. Bored? Time to add another team sport. Going out to play? Better come along to thwart any conflicts and make sure no one gets hurt. These days kids don't have the opportunity to structure their own free time (or to even have free time!) For the past year, Jonathan Haidt has been talking to parents and media about his new book, Th

I have spent a lot of time conversing with college and high school students. These young people are dealing with a new transition almost weekly. Fall is the time the younger group is applying to and planning for their transition to college. And man is the stress level high! I remember talking to a group of college students about my academic path. None of them had ever heard of the colleges I chose. Yet my bachelor’s prepared me well for grad school, and my masters allowe

Jeffery Jensen Arnett (from the Atlantic article below) is pretty sure adolescence ends at 18. But I’m not sure he, nor most experts agree when adulthood begins. For some, it’s a matter of when the brain finishes fully developing (around 26.) For others, it’s when people take on adult tasks in their community (marriage, kids, military.) And for many, it depends on when they participate in their culture's rite of passage (quinceañera, bar/bat mitzvah, graduation.) At 18 w