Hi, Reader - I hope your summer is going well. Over here, I am trying to stay hopeful, but recent news about NPR and school funding have hit close to home. Our kids are hearing the news too, and we need to help them grapple with worries. This article about helping kids cope with what they are hearing about ICE raids offers concrete suggestions about a very tough topic. As always, I'm trying to balance my news consumption with activities that bring me joy and hope. We took a few hours this...
7 months ago • 3 min read
Hi, Reader - The transition to summer is a little hectic. My kid is doing lifeguard training. I'm learning how to be the parent of a teenager with a job. How much to help, how much to back off, etc. I admit that I'm pushing for independence while frequently nagging about sunscreen. Happy birthday, Growing Up in Public! Growing Up in Public is 1.99 today! This is your chance to read it with those friends in your bookclub or colleagues in your PLN! GET IT NOW! Want to talk it over with...
9 months ago • 1 min read
Hi, Reader - How are you holding up? The transition back from winter break is pretty rough for a lot of us (raising my hand.) My family all took turns getting sick over break. Vacations are supposed to be relaxing, but even when I manage to avoid scrolling through other people's vacations...my awareness spirals about how soon we'll be planning differently as our kid launches into the world. Meanwhile, he really needed some time off this break... and due to my slightly over-ambitious planning,...
about 1 year ago • 3 min read
Hi, Reader - In the midst of navigating this busy time of year, you might have heard that Australia’s Senate recently voted for a ban on social media for youth under age 16. Social media companies have one year to find a way to stop Australian kids under 16 from opening new accounts on their apps or risk billions in fines. There is no clear plan for *how* to make this happen, but the stakes are considerable and other countries are considering similar rules. Some parents and activists believe...
about 1 year ago • 5 min read
Hi, Reader - Fall is in full swing. I just spoke in Blue Hill, Maine at the public library and it was so beautiful. The ocean waves were very soothing to my nervous system. Need some Maine scenery to lift up your day? Here you go. I couldn't resist posting a few images on Instagram from Maine! Happy birthday, Growing Up in Public! Growing Up in Public is 1.99 on Kindle for the next 2 days! (and 15.99 in hardcover) This is your chance to read it with those friends in your bookclub or...
over 1 year ago • 2 min read
Hi, Reader - I'm not ready for summer to be over. But my kid is back in high school, rolling into 10th grade like it is no big deal. Last week, I dropped him and some friends a Six Flags so they could get a day of roller-coastering in before school starts. I did not enter the park. They did the coasters without me, thank goodness. Not only will I never go on a roller coaster again (first and last time was in 8th grade at Rye Playland... it didn't go well.) But also... I'm just better off not...
over 1 year ago • 3 min read
Hi, Reader - Are you in the midst of graduations? We're already couple weeks into summer "break" and my kid is slogging through the classroom portion of driver's ed. Which makes me think a lot about how we decide that kids (or anyone) is ready for a certain level of responsibility. Everywhere I go, people ask when kids are ready for a phone. Here are some criteria to use when making decisions about when kids are ready for the next level of access to tech--a first phone, a gaming platform, or...
over 1 year ago • 4 min read
Hi, Reader - My 9th grader is going through his first round of high school finals and it is taking me back to my own high school years. Except high school (at least the one I went to) was SO MUCH easier! I don't remember working very hard. And no, I wasn't just some kind of super-genius. I didn't work very hard and I still skated along with B's and even some As. The workload I'm seeing now, and hearing about from families all over is...a lot. I'm glad that smart people like Ana Homayoun and...
about 2 years ago • 6 min read
Hi, Reader - One of my favorite things I learned interviewing teens for Growing Up in Public, is that young people are often more sensitive and thoughtful about posting about the application process and admissions than their parents. I wanted to share a few things I learned from kids about how it feels to apply to college with everyone watching. There is so much to say, that I’ll probably write a Part 2 at some point! Rejection Support Group I interviewed one very sweet senior in high school,...
over 2 years ago • 3 min read