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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Middle school
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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12 Books For Navigating the Lonely World of Parenting Tweens and Teens
When I found out I was pregnant and for a few years after, I devoured every parenting book I could find. I liked knowing what was going to happen and…
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Parenting a Teenager is Harder Than I Ever Thought it Would Be
Remember the sleep deprivation of having a newborn? Remember the mental drain of potty-training a toddler? Or the worry of dropping your…
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Parents Are Applauding a Colorado High School That Forfeited a Game After Students Were Caught Vaping
If you are the parent of a teenager, you have most likely heard about teens’ rampant use of vaping. Kids are inhaling on the bus, juuling at…
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