10 Keys to an Intentional, Easeful Back to School Season

Some children and teens can't wait to get back into the routine of school; they might be excited to reconnect with friends, to resume extracurriculars, to get out of the house more. And others are dreading getting back to campus; they might resist or fear the structure, the workload, the socialization, the pressures. Regardless of where your teen is on this spectrum of back to school feelings, they are likely experiencing the energy of transition. And you too! Keep reading for 10 keys to an intentional back to school because the more aware we can be through this change, the more easeful this season will be.

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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.

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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.

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Quick Connections: Asking Curiosity Questions

Asking curiosity questions to the children and teens in your life will not only increase their engagement (which brings confidence, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and so much more along with it), but it will also give you, as the parent or caregiver, more room to breathe. Keep reading to learn how to use curiosity questions in a wide range of opportunities!

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Coaching and Therapy: A Deeper Look into Healing Practices for Teens

Get a “behind the scenes” look at the work of a coach and therapist that specialize in working with teens. Lindsay Camp LMFT of Austin Teen Therapy, joins us for a Q and A about coaching and therapy. We explore similarities and differences in our practices and share about our unique philosophies.

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Quick Connection: The Power of Breath

Parents, caregivers, and supporters, I invite you to give this practice a try. Become aware of how it changes your own mood and energy as you face challenges in your own life. Then, notice how your breath can change, impact, and support the environment you facilitate with and for the children and teens in your life. Breath can be a powerful tool for talking to teenagers about the tough stuff!

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We All Need to Belong and to Be Significant!

As humans, we all have a desire to belong and to be significant. Positive Discipline teaches that every behavior a child or teen exhibits is an attempt to confirm that they belong and are significant. Today, we focus on how YOU, as a parent or caregiver, can use this concept as a foundation for intentional living.

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Self-Encouragement as Self-Care and Connection: A Practice for Parents

As the parent of a teen, it can be truly powerful to practice self-encouragement. This involves practicing self-compassion, acknowledging that you cannot control your teen, and giving attention to “successes.” Keep reading for a daily self-encouragement practice.

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Summer Planning for Raising Healthy and Happy Teens and Tweens

Summer can be your greatest asset in guiding hard-to-reach teens (so, yes, I mean all teens) toward a healthy and happy adulthood. As the parent, motivated to get our teens involved this summer, we might try to explain to our kids how they’ll be challenged and better off by participating in summer programs and learning experiences. We also have to understand the benefits from a teenager’s perspective and communicate in ways that bring connection and collaboration.

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Organize Your Summer for More Fun & Connection

As the school year winds down, you’ve probably already thought about your big summer commitments: summer camps and trips and now the reality of a very different schedule and rhythm for the summer months may be at the forefront of your mind. Summer offers many organizational challenges: inconsistent schedules, summer trips, sunset at 9 p.m., camps, playdates, and more. It also gives us a chance to spend more time with our kids and teens, which we hope can be fun instead of a struggle. When you organize your summer together with a focus on connection, summer fun is more likely.

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