Middle School

Inside Out 2 - Why Every Tween (and Parent) Needs to See It When my now twelve-year-old son was a toddler, Inside Out came out in theaters. My "honesty island" would be firing on all cylinders by saying I probably enjoyed the original movie more than my own child. So, when it was announced that Inside Out 2 would be released the same weekend as my toddler's 3rd birthday, taking him to see the sequel for his birthday weekend was a no brainer. I arrived to the theatre expecting a fun, humorous, somewhat light plot line, but I left with a new perspective on my own preteen's complex, new emotions. The Emotions are New (and Complex) to Your Kids Early into the movie,...

Quick Roadtrips & First Concerts :: How To Make Precious Memories On A Single Mom Budget You remember Middle School, it's the time when music really starts to resonate with you and you start to relate to the meaning of all those personal lyrics and you drown yourself and your newly developing hormones in solitude and become one with your favorite artist, wearing your air pods or dancing secretly in your bedroom. Nothing is better than this escape and you start to dream of seeing your favorite artist in concert. Seeing your dream concert isn't as accessible these days with the high cost of concert tickets and the rising cost of living, especially as a single mother, but when my daughter...

Raising Teens :: Not For The Weak "As much as I love raising my big kid I still long for the days that his hands were encapsulated in mine." Raising teenagers is not for the weak. When our children are younger we think those are the hardest days. Sleepless nights, temper tantrums, the works. Y’all know how it is. We’re often met with the sly comments of parents more experienced than us saying “just you wait” and we shrug it off. Caught up in the days we never think we’ll get past. The truth is though, all of those well-meaning naysayers were right. As I enter my third year of raising a teenager, I’ve indeed looked back on parents with toddlers...

A Letter to My 8th Grade Graduate August 2015, you gave me one last hug and bravely walked towards the door of your Kindergarten classroom. You turned back slightly to smile at me. Then, you confidently returned to find your seat, never looking back again. You got through that day and all the days that came after. I was a mess knowing you were growing up. You are a sponge for learning, soaking everything up; you never cease to amaze me! I am so proud of you for always putting yourself out there, trying new things, and discovering your passions. You roll with the punches, figure out a way through all the difficulties, and have had to learn that life is only sometimes fair....

Fostering Healthy Body Acceptance In Your Teen Daughter Teaching a young girl how to accept and love her body starts with her mother. You will be a mirror to either her strengths or her insecurities. It's up to you to decide which she will reflect on. She will already be bombarded with the unattainable world of filters, advertising, TikTok videos, and the latest internet celebrity. She will hear the gossip of peers calling out the too fat, too thin, too tan, not tan enough, too tall, too short, anything too much, making her feel less than. But you momma, can lessen the damage of these things. Never Criticize Yourself in Her Presence Momma I'm with you. I've got pounds to lose. There...