High School

I was 15 years old on a road that was almost to my school. I was a sophomore riding with a senior to school. I looked at her and asked her to pull over. I was so sick, and just so glad I was able to not get sick all over her car. I was mortified. Why was I sick? My acne medication. I was 16 and in a swimsuit at a party. The girls were chatting with me regarding their hair, down there. "Ugh, I just shave it all. It's so gross." I looked down and crossed my legs. I thought it was natural. I didn't even know a razor could get that close to my area. I was 16...

We're all smiling, but we're bracing for each other. Every year our school has a “back-to-school” night. The parents of my students, most of them moms, drop in for a short amount of time. I scurry through a PowerPoint, make a couple of jokes about using an old textbook, and take routine, innocuous questions at the end of my speech. Then I shake a lot of hands as they all leave, knowing our next encounters could range from the joyous to the depths of frustration. As they leave, I can’t help but feel there is more I want to say to them – more that would make the unpleasant conversations have a happier ending, more that would secure a tighter circle...

As the new school year is starting, I am shifting from stay-at-home in the summer mom to teacher-mom mode. People ask me what my perspective is about school being a teacher mom a lot, and as my kids get older, I'm noticing the things that I feel like are the most important to help children feel successful at school. Read, read, read at home. I know some children like to read more than others, but the more you can read at home, the better. We read fiction, non-fiction, funny books, silly books, books about whatever animals they are interested. Anything at all! Reading to children early is so critical, because it fosters a love for books, and it builds...

My oldest son is starting high school this year. For me, the emotions run deep with this. I loved high school, I met my husband, made some great friends and learned a lot about life in those four years. I want my son to have the best experience possible. I also have a lot of emotions that time has gone WAY TOO FAST; 14 years have come and gone and here we are. Here is a letter to him for these coming years: Dear Micah, You are in HIGH SCHOOL, I am not sure how that happened so fast, you were just a little squishy baby whose laugh would light up a room. There are a few things I want you...

I can't believe I am already buying school supplies. Summer always seems to go by too quickly when looking back. Don't get me wrong. There were days when it seemed extra long. You know, three kids at home who love to 'entertain' each other (insert eye roll). So let's talk back to school. Prepping for back to school. There is so much involved when it comes to prepping for back to school. We are running around purchasing new uniforms, school shoes, and all those items on the school supply list that was received in the mail mid-July. I even find myself grabbing my planner and start thinking about meal planning. The school year always feels extra busy with not only the...