by Cara McLauchlan, local writer and author of Joy Goggles
Last week I stole every one of my son’s clothes.
Fresh from the dryer, I secreted them away. Folded neatly and stacked in my closet, I hid as much of his wardrobe as I could lay hands on. Then I waited. I waited for the sweet words of “Mom, do you know where all my clothes are?” Read More
by Jennifer Benoit, MEd
Is your teen or tween struggling with taking good notes at school? This post by Jen Benoit of Tutor Doctor in Raleigh has some great tips and tricks for success. Thanks Jen! ~ Kristen
Taking notes is a vital part of every student’s success. Some things are said rather than read and how to capture that information is just as important as the information itself.
First, why is note taking important? Read More
By Triad MOM Guest Blogger Donna Small
I love my children desperately. There are, however, days that I don’t like them very much. And while I feel confident anyone who has children understands and can empathize feeling that way, it may require a certain amount of explanation.
My eldest daughter is twelve years old. It’s that glorious, hormone-laced period known to most of us as the “tween” years. For parents, the ups and downs we experience during this time rival most of the roller coasters at Carowinds. The unfortunate part of this is that it’s even more of a roller coaster ride for the child who is going through it; the rest of the family it simply sucked in by the sheer force of it.
When my daughter is her normal, sweet self, I’m still the greatest thing my daughter has ever experienced. She will come to me for advice because I’m still smart and she will hug me because I’m still loved. Occasionally, I’ve even been able to get a chuckle out of her. Read More
By Triad MOM Guest Blogger Cristin Whiting
Last month I spent the afternoon with my daughter, the last afternoon in her single digit years. The next day, she turned ten.
She came home early from school. She said she wasn’t feeling well. Sometimes with Julia stomachaches and headaches translate into needing some quiet time at home to regroup. No matter the case, I honor the request because she is not one to abuse the privilege of an afternoon home with mom. So I sat with her as she soaked in the tub with bubbles piled up to her chin. We told our favorite stories about when she was little and laughed at the punch lines we already know so well.
My mind took a serious turn as I’m aware that this was one of those moments that marked a milestone in her life.
I asked her, “What do you think it will be like when you turn ten?” Read More
by Kristen Bagwell
I came across this funny on Pinterest last week and while it cracked me up, it might make moms of teens and tweens cringe a little...oy. Happy Sunday Funnies everyone! Read More
By Triad MOM Guest Blogger, Melissa Kinsley
A tropical storm has hit our house. It strikes without warning with full force and torrential downpours. Thankfully, it doesn’t last long but it strikes frequently. Ah, the joys of having a tween.
Out of nowhere my usually confident and self-reliant 11-year-old bursts into tears, throws math books and storms out of the room yelling that she is stupid and will never get through middle school. I knew that this storm was coming but I was not prepared for it to strike so soon. I thought for sure it would hit around 13. Eleven is way too early to have to weather teenage-force storms. Read More
by Kristen Bagwell
My mobile phone is my woobie. It has been ever since I got one back in...1996?...and became even more so when I learned how to text message. At the time, I was a sales manager living out in Phoenix, and it was so much easier (in my mind) to text someone and wait for my answer than try to call and track them down.
Texting was so new that there were no keyboards yet - you had to tap the number on the phone until the right letter came up. So, if you needed a "c" you'd tap the 2 button 3 times...a..b..c. And I loved it. We also didn't have smiley faces (emoticons) back then, so I had to say *smile* or whatever. Hard to believe, no? Read More
By Guest Blogger Cristin Whiting PsyD
My daughter has been “testing the limits” lately. Even though this is a normal thing for kids to do, it is really unusual for her and has caught me off guard.
It all started a couple of weeks ago. She had a friend over and seemed to do the exact things that she knew she wasn’t supposed to—and had never done before.
How I responded was not my best parenting moment. I took the whole thing personally.
"Why is she doing this to me?" Read More
by guest blogger, Daniel Krowchuk, M.D.
General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Expert at Brenner Children’s Hospital
It’s a fact - one third of 9th graders and two thirds of 12th graders in the US report having had sex. If you’d like your child (girl or boy) to act responsibly and make sound decisions, talking about sex is essential. Ideally, these conversations will occur as natural extensions of discussions you’ve already had about “sensitive” issues. No doubt, you will have discussed the names of body parts in early childhood, “where babies come from,” and the body changes that might occur during puberty. The fact that you talk regularly and openly with your child about all sorts of issues will provide a foundation for a discussion of sex. Read More
By Guest Blogger Derek A. Williams, D.O., Pediatric Cardiologist, Wake Forest Baptist Health – Brenner Children’s Hospital
For many parents with middle and high-school aged children who are gearing up for spring sports, getting the screening physical exam is part of the process.
Most children will sail through the exam without any problems. But occasionally, the doctor or physician assistant will spot a red flag - literally, in a heartbeat. It may come in the form of a murmur, an abnormal heart rhythm or shortness of breath.
So what does it all mean? And when is a heart condition serious? Read More
By Rachel Hoeing
Teens and Drugs - Do you think it is a
battle worth fighting?
A few weeks ago I had lunch with a friend who told
me that she had recently discovered her 15 year old daughter smoking pot. She
was upset, of course, and told me how she and her husband debated on how to
handle the issue. She told me about the talk they had with her daughter and the
things her teen told them about drug use in her school and with her
friends.
My friend then said, "You know what, Rachel? Marijuana is
everywhere. I have decided that there just isn't much I can do about
it."
I was a little taken aback. Although this friend was a party-girl
herself, it surprised me that she was willing to allow her 15 year old daughter
to continue to use an illegal drug without putting up much of a fight. I can't
really remember how I replied, but after I got home and replayed this situation
in my head and knew I wanted to blog about it. Read More
by guest blogger Kristen Daukas, author of the blog Four Hens and a Rooster
Remember when your child’s list to Santa was thicker than the phonebook? When Disney’s favorite Princess or Nick Jr's favorite handyman could save the day for Christmas bounty? Those long lists have been replaced by much shorter ones that primarily involve cash and gift cards. If you’re like me, you want to give something more than “just” a gift card but what items are on the “must have” list for our Teens and Tweens? Read More
By Guest Blogger Jennifer Guidry
Those of you who have teenagers live quite a different life than those with little ones. One of our loyal readers, Jennifer, has given us some insight into living with teens in the 21st century. She has a 16-year-old son and a 15-year-old daughter and claims to have mastered the skills of texting, blogging, and emailing just so she can communicate effectively with them both while she works a full-time job!
Read More
By Guest Blogger Michelle Bostian, LCSW
Lower School Counselor for Greensboro Day School
Feeling uncomfortable about being separate from mom and dad, or “separation anxiety” is most commonly thought to be something that impacts preschool children and kindergarten age. It does, but also common is the onset around 4th grade. It catches parents off guard because they think they are done with this sort of thing. Read More
by Kristen Bagwell
It's not often that I get sucked into the Reelz Channel, but this show title caught my eye as I was flipping through the channel guide. My nephews and some family friends are tweens, and I am always at a loss as to what they are interested in, or what's "cool" at the moment. When I saw this heading, I was interested to see what Reelz had to say about current movies for tweens. What I got was actually a list of the top movies of all time ("all time" being up to 20 years ago) that Reelz thinks tweens will enjoy. It's a good list, I think - what would you add?
Read More
By Guest Blogger, Amy Takacs
My oldest daughter, Natalie, turned 10 this year. A decade of throwing kid birthday parties already under my belt, my goal was to come up with a celebration fit for a gaggle of tweens. We’ve done the park, bouncy tent in the backyard (twice), Children’s museums, Bounce U, slumber party... you name it! Plus, the thought of hosting a bunch of kids coupled with the messy aftermath, I yearned for something with a lot less hassle. Read More
