Embracing quirky kids
Here’s to the kids who are different, the kids who don’t always get A’s. The kids who have ears twice the size of their peers, and noses that go on for days. I recently ran
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Why girls need to care
“What movie do you want to see tonight?” “Where do you want to go eat?” The automatic, knee-jerk response from most teen girls to such inquiries is, “I don’t care, whatever you want.” The long-term
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“I’m a lone fruit loop in a bowl of cheerios”: The burden of trying to fit in
Kelly, 14, has had her share of girl drama. Her bestie ditched her in 4th grade for a more popular group, and in some ways she has never recovered. Kelly floated between groups over the
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The coming of the King and Messiah? In name only
I was shocked when I came across an article listing the fastest rising baby names of 2014. Major, King, and Messiah topped the boys list, but a little research uncovered even more absurdity. Another article
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Hook ups and the war on commitment
A recent article about young adults sexual pursuits in Vanity Fair peaked my interest, because once again I believe we are missing the forest for the trees when it comes to young women. Data about
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A love letter from dad
Saying that fathers and daughters have a special bond is pretty obvious and cliché. But it’s another thing to see it played out before your eyes in a manner that most dads don’t ever experience.
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4 Presents for Your High School Graduate
High school graduation is just around the corner, but it’s not too late to start gifting your daughter with skills she will need to successfully launch out into the world. Here are four crucial ways
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Best diet for adolescent girls
Seven in ten girls believe they are not good enough or don’t measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school, and relationships with friends. And a girl’s self-esteem is more strongly related
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Kids need to learn street smarts
I don’t think high school seniors are equipped to handle the pressures and temptations inherent at spring break sites like Ft. Lauderdale beach. I say this in part because we have done a poor job
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The Greatest Gift I Have Ever Seen
The topic of divorce came up at a recent retreat with middle school girls, and I heard one of the most beautiful yet heart-wrenching stories I have ever heard. Becca shared how hard it had
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Dress Code Policies: An Opportunity For Learning
Should girls be prohibited from wearing outfits to school because they are deemed distracting for the boys? Wow! What a loaded issue. While treading gingerly on this issue, I would like to put a few
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Long-term Consequences to Consider Before You Spank a Child
The recent story of NFL running back Adrian Peterson’s arrest for child abuse for spanking his 4-year-old son with a switch has once again raised the specter of spanking and child abuse. Good research over
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Teaching Girls to Speak with Authority
Sophie, 14, has a younger brother with Downs Syndrome, and she loves him dearly and flutters around him like a mother hen. Ben has been hospitalized many times, and was close to death on several
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Every Girl Is Meant to Shine
The nail that stands up gets hammered down. Unknown The most common reason girls don’t speak their minds, handle conflicts directly, and ask for what they want is their fear of making other people mad
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Lessons From Our Anger
Anger has been swirling around the past 2 weeks not only in the St. Louis area but nationally as well after an 18-year-old boy was killed by a police officer. I don’t have all the
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7 Steps to Manage Senioritis
Teens approaching their senior year of high school have a ton of work to do before they launch out into the world in 12 months. Parents often find themselves in major power struggles with their
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“Un-Words” girls desperately need to gain self-esteem and happiness
I have come across a slew of “UN-Words” that describe some essential qualities all girls require for a healthy transformation from a girl to a woman. These virtues are also needed for gaining self-esteem, passion,
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The Headache of Being A Girl Today
At a recent Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics conference, I learned some interesting facts concerning girls and headaches. A 2001 study by Lipton, Maytal, and Winner found that 57-82% of all kids aged 7-15 experience headaches,
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Get a Grip on Youth Sports
Adults, get a grip! I mean really. A high school pitcher in Rochester, Washington last week threw 194 pitches over 14 innings in his district tournament game, and the best his clueless coach could come
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A Sure-Fire Marriage Killer
My wife and I spent a relaxing week on the beaches of Kauai recently celebrating our 33rd wedding anniversary, and as always it was renewing and absolutely vital to keeping our marriage passionate and fresh.
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