Teens

Parenting To Yourself

Bryan stayed home with Dex for the first two years; it's always given them a special bond. I have never been jealous (OK, maybe just a little), but I have always attributed their ability to get along to time spent and compatible interests. Not to…
Monkey Ape Selfie

Monito

Dex started taking Spanish classes last year in 6th grade. We were stunned by how much he was learning, and how fast. His middle school teacher has been using an immersion method, where she just gets them talking. Awesome, but hard for this type-a mom…
Back To School 2014

Welcome to 7th Grade

Here we go. Back to school. When our whole schedule changes because we are a family of night owls and school starts at 7:30am. And we start hibernating a bit to accommodate homework and projects and regular sleep habits. Summer is fun for us; we…
Summer Camp Growing Up

Empowering Tweens To Stand Up For Themselves

Dex is at summer camp in the park again this year. It's had its ups and downs this time around, partly because he is at the upper age limit for the camp. He still loves hanging with his friends, swimming, crafts - all that summer camp stuff. But he is getting really frustrated with the methods of some of the counselors, who are treating them like kids half their age. Recently he got in trouble for something and was sent to time out. Fine, except they never really explained what he did wrong. Partly because it's a big camp full of kids running around like maniacs in the sun, but partly because they just don't seem to understand that the older kids will want to have more explanation.
Explaining cursing and foul language to children

Colorful Language

That's the term Dex uses to refer to cursing. "Colorful language." I am not even sure where he picked it up, but he is not very fond of it. "He is annoying. He uses colorful language all the time." The funny thing is, I have quite the potty mouth myself, although I have tried hard over the years to curb it in front of Dex. And generally, we have not made cursing an issue around the house. We have always talked about it in terms of consequences.
Tweens To Teens: Becoming An Adult

He Thinks He’s An Adult Now

That's a bit of an exaggeration but Dex is 11.5 - apparently the exact age that pushes a child (mine, at least) from tween peckishness to full on tween angst. He's a great kid. He'll be a great kid through his teen years and into adulthood. I have full faith in that. He's just entering that time when he is becoming his own person and most importantly, separating from us. Part of that separation includes thinking he knows everything and thinking we are annoying, weird, and embarrassing.

Dance Anxiety

"Can I stay home from school on Friday?" Dex asked; we didn't know what to say. "There is a dance for 6th graders and 90% of my friends are staying home so they don't have to go." Everything came rushing back, as if I was…