Practicing Self-Love on Valentine’s Day and Every Day
This is an invitation to notice the thoughts you are choosing today and every day. Do your best to observe the thoughts gently, kindly.
How to Make Agreements with Teens
When you and your child or teen reach agreements TOGETHER, the buy-in is stronger. They are more likely to follow through with genuine interest and commitment.
How to Talk with Your Teenager about Self-Care
There are self-care practices we engage in regularly to help keep our cups full, AND there will be times of intense stress, in which we need specific and sometimes more substantial self-care.
Woman writing on her daily planner
How to Talk with Teenagers About Routines
Teenagers, especially, need structure to thrive. From developing a healthy relationship with their technology and social media, to getting enough sleep (they need 9 hours on average!), to developing strong study skills or applying to college, to practicing self-care and playing, to building a social life, they have a lot to manage!
5 Ways to Help Your Teen Make an Intentional Decision
In any decision-making opportunity, your teen has much to consider. They are simultaneously considering their own ideas, beliefs about what peers expect from them, thoughts about family norms, and images from media.
Holiday Reminders for YOU and Your Family!
May this time of year, the end of 2018, and the beginning of 2019 be an invitation to connect with yourself, one another, and your community. Keep reading for reminders to stay calm and happy this holiday season.
Planning My Escape: Two True Stories from a Mother
When we take the time to understand why we are feeling the pull to drop it all and start again, we can cultivate more compassion for ourselves. From that starting point, it is easier to understand why it is so important to create a life in which self-care is thoroughly embedded. Honoring our bodies and their natural processes encourages us to create systems of self-care the work to support your real life rather than wanting to escape it.
Quick Connection: The Power of Walk and Talks
Have you ever tried a walk and talk with your teen? This could be a walk for exercise, sure, and it can also be entirely leisurely. In either case, walk and talk is communication strategy, a tool to remember when you have a pressing idea to process with your teen or when you can tell they are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or frustrated. Being next to your teen, or "sideways talking," as opposed to face-to-face, can open the space for conversation-- literally and metaphorically. This orientation often feels less confrontational and more spacious for young people. For some teens, it can be safer to be next to adults when it comes to tough conversations and topics, or even asking for help.
5 Tips for Promoting a Positive Relationship Between Teens, Food, & Their Bodies
Some of my most stressful moments, as a mom of three, are around what my children are consuming in the form of food and media. I cannot always control what my children see and hear. I can’t control how much my children eat or what they eat. I CAN control my reaction and I CAN control what I say and do in regards to MY food and body. Keep reading for 5 tips for promoting a positive relationship between teens, food, and their bodies.
Real Talk for Teens: Back to School
This article is an invitation for teen readers to self-reflect and visualize a positive back to school experience. You are invited to create a vision of yourself living your best life next school year. This visualization is one that you can return to any time you start to feel bummed out or anxious or overwhelmed before school starts. It can also be used when you are at school, and you’ve caught an emotion that is weighing on you or keeping your mind in a place of worry. Furthermore, you can create and invest in this visualization as a safe space for you to access, a way to comfort and take care of yourself.