It is the eve of the night before my first baby girl Neriah becomes an adult. How did this day come so soon? This natural rite of passage I imagined gently greeting me hit me like a bold question mark at the end of a sentence. Despite the lack of emotional preparation, the day unfolds, and with it a boatload of emotions. Senior year, 18th birthday, and college acceptance … [Read more...] about Letting Go: Redefining The Mother-Daughter Relationship
Tweens and Teens
Focus On Resilience In Wake of School Shootings
Each year, one of the administrators from the middle school tells a story to incoming parents. The story involves a chrysalis that is struggling to turn into a butterfly and a kind person who, after seeing the painful process, decides to help remove it from its binds. The problem is that it is in the very process of breaking free that the butterfly gains the strength that it … [Read more...] about Focus On Resilience In Wake of School Shootings
College Acceptance – Then and Now
All across the country high school seniors are anxiously awaiting their acceptance notices from colleges and universities. My daughter is one of those seniors. She has spent four years in high school studying hard to keep her GPA high, playing sports, joining clubs and taking part in all aspects of high school life to build her resume in hopes that a college or university will … [Read more...] about College Acceptance – Then and Now
Smartphones and Kids: Worth the Wait
I grew up in the technology boom, fascinated by all the latest and greatest things from accessible cell phones to Friendster (totally dating myself) – and have loved every second of it. My personal and professional lives have been forever changed by the evolution of technology, and I’m thrilled that my kids will have access to these incredibly powerful devices and tools – … [Read more...] about Smartphones and Kids: Worth the Wait
Emotional Development of Adolescents
The emotional development of adolescents seems ever more complex in a changing and challenging world. With new ways of communicating with one and another and the ability to remain in close touch with parents, or to "turn parents off," adolescents pose a challenge to themselves and those who care about them. Nonetheless, by the end of the teenage years, most adolescents … [Read more...] about Emotional Development of Adolescents