I’m so excited that Dr. Jill Grimes is back. She is the college doc and just came out with her newest edition of “The Ultimate College Student Health Handbook: Your Guide for Everything from Hangovers to Homesickness.” It is a great gift if you have a high school grad. It gives so much information that will help your college student navigate their health and symptoms.

Do you ever experience those moments in life where you feel overwhelmed by a sixth sense or supernatural foreshadowing that the upcoming conversation will be of such great importance to you that you will never forget it? Life-changing, eye-opening, thought-provoking, and heart-warming; a monumental exchange that requires buckling up and a subsequent mind-blowing bonding between a mother and child? That very type of conversation happened just this weekend with my 11-year-old son….

It’s almost here, or perhaps it’s already arrived! The kids are home for summer break!. Summer is the perfect time for fun and relaxation, but it can also bring its share of challenges. You might be thrilled about the endless possibilities, from beach trips to movie marathons, yet...

We are all aware of the current focus on the pitfalls of teenagers and social media. And we could probably debate for hours on all the pros and cons. But what about social media’s influence/impact on us moms of tweens and teens?. Moms and Social Media. It’s not so...

Welcome, friend, to the show today. Welcome to today’s episode of How To Have Healthy Talks About Sex and Intimacy in A Confusing Culture. When it comes to sex, our bodies, love, and intimacy, our kids are bombarded with false, unhealthy, and confusing messages. How do we talk to...

I’m standing in the doorway, watching my son play the piano. He plays piano for two hours every night when he comes home from school. He doesn’t read music because he never learned how. His dyslexia made it hard for him and made learning a chore. We found a different way, and now his music just flows freely from one piece to another, a natural melody he never had to learn how to play.

I know you’re reading this because you care deeply about your teen’s emotional and mental well-being. You want to ensure they feel supported and know they can turn to you during tough times. You may struggle to find ways to help your teen open up to you when you know they are struggling. It can be daunting when they do share their struggles or don’t talk at all, and you’re left worrying about what to do when you know they’re anxious, discouraged, angry, or depressed. Our first instinct is often to offer advice or find quick solutions, but the most impactful approach is to be present, listen, and ask thoughtful questions.

In today’s digital age, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education is growing at a rapid speed. As a mom of a tween or teen, it might be overwhelming to think of teaching your kids how to use AI responsibly. You might find yourself navigating the delicate balance between embracing technology as a helpful tool while also ensuring your child develops essential academic skills. AI can certainly assist in research and writing, but it’s critical that we all guide our kids on using AI resources responsibly. And yet, how do we as parents stay on top of this AI craze, as it’s all still so new, and ongoing changes and developments continue to unfold? It can be confusing, trying to figure it all out while also ensuring our kids understand both the benefits and consequences of how they take advantage of this exciting but daunting digital tool.

Welcome to the show today, and I am so glad you’re here. I want to start today by sharing something that my friend Amy sent to me yesterday. This is a meme entitled “How to be a mom in 2017. “We could actually change that to “2024” because it still applies to us today.

When my oldest was in middle school, it was a battle to get her to go to school. When I asked if she had homework, she would say she didn’t have any, only later to find out that she was missing assignments and risking flunking the class. We moved her from her private middle school to public school, hoping they would provide her with more support and resources and that would make a difference. It did a little. Making friends at a new school was tough. It was painful to watch her struggle.

Where to Go For Support With Teen and Tween Mental Health. Adolescence can be a challenging time, marked by numerous stressors and emotional changes. The pressure to fit in, perform well academically, navigate social relationships, and cope with physical and emotional changes can all contribute to feelings of distress and vulnerability. It’s crucial for parents and caregivers to recognize the signs of depression and suicidal thoughts in our tweens and teens and to know where to turn for resources and support.

“Our kids don’t kill themselves because of lack of love. They can have absolutely everything and still struggle with suicidal thoughts. I hear it every day. “Well, my daughter is a college, and she said she’s been really depressed. But she’s not the type to kill herself.” Sheryl, if I could tell you the number of times people told me and then two weeks later called me back and said, “Oh my God, my child attempted suicide or killed herself or himself or themselves. I do not want that to happen.”

Welcome to Season 2, Episode 1 of the Moms of Tweens and Teens podcast!. If you struggle to get your tweens and teens to do chores and help out around the house, you want to listen to this podcast!. My special guest is Lori Sugarman. She is a Certified Fair...

As Mother’s Day approaches, I want to take a moment to honor YOU. I wish I could sit across from you, sharing a cup of coffee. I’d love to make space for you to share what’s on your heart—to hear what weighs you down—the worries and fears about your kid’s well-being, the mom wins, and the overwhelming chaos of motherhood during these roller-coaster years, and the profound journey of nurturing good human beings. You may not always receive the recognition you deserve, but what you do matters more than words can express. Oh, dear moms, I see all you do for your kids. You are AMAZING. You continue to show up day after day, night after night, through the highs and lows, the good days, and the hard days. All that moms do is nothing short of miraculous, really.

“Did everything go okay?” my mom quietly whispered from her bedroom. “Mom, you’re still awake? It’s almost midnight.” I asked, wondering why she was up so late. “I couldn’t sleep till you got home.” She said. One might think it’s not unusual for a...

This time of year can be crazy, with a whirlwind of end-of-school activities and so many emotions we can feel as we experience all the transitions and changes in our kids’ lives. Whether you have a seventh grader, an eighth grader preparing for high school, a child graduating high school, or a college graduate, each stage presents its own set of joys, challenges, and deep emotions. It’s also incredibly overwhelming having to manage all the details of these remaining weeks with SO. MUCH. GOING. ON. It’s a frenzied and frantic pace that just won’t stop until the school year ends.

It was one of those crisp, fall New England Saturdays when I arrived at my son’s rec soccer game. As usual, the boys (second graders) were doing more running around in circles than actually playing soccer, and parents were mostly chatting with each other while siblings played on the nearby playground.

Congratulations on such an INCREDIBLE achievement to all of the college graduates out there! This is a pivotal time in your life that will launch you into your future as you make some big decisions about what you will do. I’m sure your parents, friends, family members, teachers, coaches, and mentors are all so proud of you, but I especially hope you are proud of yourself more than anyone else because that’s what counts the most.

As I sit here, reflecting on my 8th grader’s impending graduation, my heart swells with emotions. It will be a bittersweet moment, watching my 8th-grader graduate and leave behind the familiar halls of middle school and prepare to step into the vast, unchartered territory of high school. There’s excitement, apprehension, and pride, yet a pang of nostalgia for the days gone by and knowing we are moving on.

Raising tweens and teens can feel like traversing a minefield at times. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on things, a new challenge arises to keep you on your toes or make you throw your hands up in surrender about what to do in different situations. It’s important to remind ourselves that this is a time of incredible change. Our kids are transitioning from being children to becoming adults, and they are experiencing so much stress and pressure during these critical years of growing up. All these changes and challenges also create a learning curve for us parents as we try to figure out what works and what doesn’t when parenting our teens.