Is your happiness dependent on your teen's happiness? Here's why I asked you this question. Last week, a mom told me with a big smile on her face, "I guess it's time to go back to my recovery meeting." I asked her, "Why?" She told me that...
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Sometimes the answer is no. It has to be, if we are going to protect our teens. This is not the fun part of being a parent. There she is standing in front of you in her mature, grown-up body. She tells you she can handle it. ...
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I love the ocean. I enjoy the smell of the ocean, the song of the seagulls, and the sound of waves crashing upon the shore. Nothing feeds my soul like the ocean. Last week it was still warm, so I went to the beach. I watched one...
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Summer is starting to fade away, and the reality hits us. Another school year is upon us. For many mothers, the first day of school is a happy day. You get your time and space back. You can relax because you know your daughter is back...
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Can your son or daughter relax at your house? Is your teen comfortable with having friends over? Do you like being in your home? If you answered yes, you have a thriving home environment. A thriving home environment is key to having a happy, healthy, and productive...
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I remember when I was 8 months pregnant, an acquaintance came up to me and said, Is this your first? I said, "YES" in a happy voice. With a smirky grin, she said, "You just wait!!!!!!!!!" Several years ago someone asked me how old my daughter was and...
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I know there are moms who have been counting the days till their teen moves out of the house and goes to college. And may even feel giddy with excitement till they can push their teens out the door. But actually, it is rare that moms...
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One of the most beautiful gifts innate to moms is the ability to please. We love our kids and want to see them happy. This desire to please is why we throw unforgettable birthday parties and go to great lengths to make our children feel...
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Have you ever wondered if your teen was depressed? If you have, you're not alone. New York Times released this in February of 2023: "Nearly three in five teenage girls felt persistent sadness in 2021, double the rate of boys, and one in three girls seriously...
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All moms experience weariness. The reason is that we are fighting the good fight for our family. We give and give and give. And often we don't spend the necessary time replenishing all that we pour out onto those we care about. Often, this is...
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I live in Texas. Everyone in Texas rides a horse, right? (Well, maybe not in Houston.) One weekend, I was visiting my sister in Austin. We went to see some friends who lived outside of Austin, who had four horses on several acres of land. Her...
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We call it multitasking. Women pride themselves on being able to do a million things at once. Here's my question. How's it working for you? My guess is that it's not working that well. Something is going to be compromised. It's not just that we are doing several...
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The fourth of July is a day to celebrate our country's freedom. How about you? Do you need a little freedom? How about a little emotional freedom, especially when it comes to your daughter's drama? Your teen can be happy, angry, sad, stressed, and hyper in a five-minute...
Read MoreIt can drive you nuts. There she is lying on the sofa being a couch potato while you are running around trying to get your work done. Summer, for lots of moms, is more work when the kids are at home. We don't want our kids...
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"How do I get my teen to listen to me?" This is the big question for moms of teens. It seems so easy, right? You tell your daughter what seems reasonable, and you want her to listen to you. But actually, we want more. We want...
Read MoreWhen you are the parent of a teen, the fantasy of summer break includes both laughs shared in the sunshine and industrious kids getting work done. Often, reality is a bit different. That disconnect can lead to family drama, which is no one's idea of...
Read MoreThe last month of school can get crazy. Many of you have been living your lives at 100 miles per hour with the entire end-of-year activities. Your teen thought that summer would never come, and the finals and projects would never stop. She'd daydream about going...
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Last week, Sara came to see me in my private practice. Sara had that spaced-out, frazzled look. She said, "I want my life back. It’s only the first week of summer, and I’m ready for school to start." Sara really didn’t want school to start. What...
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How many of you feel like parenting a tween or teen is hard? The day-to-day can feel exhausting. Sometimes this season of parenting feels like it will never end. That feeling – like the drama and chaos will never let up - can be so disheartening. This...
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If I were to ask you, "How much do you feel appreciated on a scale of 1 to 10 by your kids, husband, partner, friends, family, or work?" What would you say? I have talked to plenty of moms who feel they were appreciated at...
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