I’m the Mean Mom Whose Tweens Don’t Have Phones
I have three kids, ages 12, 11, and 9. None of them have a phone, but they claim all of their friends have had phones since second grade. They might…
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Middle school
Dear Middle School Girls, Make Your Mistakes But Remember Who the Real You is
Dear girls, My sweet middle school female students. I stand up in front of you daily and teach you about the periodic table, the different types of…
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“I’m Learning To Let You Go.” Hear the Emotional Back-To-School Song That’ll Leave You in Tears
Last month, my oldest daughter turned 12. Twelve—the word feels bulky and foreign as it stumbles over my tongue. She’s official a…
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The Middle School Years Are Challenging
“Mom, you suck the fun out of everything!” shouted my 13-year-old daughter behind her closed bedroom door. Is this the same sweet girl who, when…
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Dear 8th Graders, This Should Have Been Your Year Too
To my dear 8th graders: If someone had warned me that our school year would take such an uncharted and radical turn, I would never have believed it.…
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Our Kids Will Remember the Ones Who Kept the World Turning When Life Stopped
They’ll never say, “I’m glad my last orchestra concert was a Zoom meeting instead.” They’ll never say, “A car…
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She’s Wearing Pigtails Again
Years of little were spent with a request every morning from my girl, “Mommy, can you do two ponies?” I’d pull her hair to each side, tie it up…
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Sometimes Late Bloomers Just Need Time
I had a wretched evening. My middle school son and I battled over his schoolwork and I felt completely discouraged. The next morning, I went to a…
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Your Heart is Hurting With School Ending This Way—And So is Your Mama’s
Dear fifth-grader, I’m just so sorry. I know you were excited for that end-of-the-year party with your friends. I know you’ve been waiting to…
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As a Middle School Mom, I’m on the Sidelines—Ready and Waiting
My oldest son is about to turn 13, and while it’s harder to find common ground with him during this phase of life, we have one huge thing in…
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