Last last week an advisory was released saying:

"Surgeon general's new warning: Parents are stressed out"

I was between tennis games at another late night match during the first week of school for 3 of my high school daughters when I received this article notification on my phone.  My first reflex, before I could even think, was an honest lol moment.  OK, it was more of a sarcastic chuckle.

Was this news to anyone?  Did any parent, especially of adolescents,...

Have you ever had a remodel in your home?  Nothing feels settled and there is always a mess.  You have to step over things, avoid sharp objects and discern what is ok and what is not constantly.

Well, your daughter, your student, your granddaughter etc. is undergoing major (internal) construction right now.  In her brain.  The tricky part is that every single one of them is different!  I have four daughters with 4 different brains, which means I need 4 different ways...

Have you gotten the "how are you" question lately and just don't have the time or energy to list out how you actually are or the capacity to think of all the things to assess if you are actually ok in each of those areas?  Yeah, I can relate.

So, you just say, "fine" or "great" and reciprocate with a "how are you?" when they reply with the same falsehood.  

The fact is that most of us work in overwhelm.  A 2023 Gallop Poll found that 49% of the US is completely overwhelmed...

We are accustomed to looking at our child's behavior to dictate the next course of action, but really, outward behavior is the very end expression of a long line of more complicated internal thoughts, feelings and decisions. As parents we need to find a place to lead them from and it starts with understanding.

For example, if your child keeps sneaking their phone, or violating phone boundaries it could be: 

- because she feels left out, needs to "show up" and feel like she is seen,...

“Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.” Hebrews 13:17

This can be a really, REALLY hard statement for many to abide by today and in this election year especially, no matter which way it goes.

We are living in uncertain times.  I don’t think anyone would argue with...

“In order to be in her memories tomorrow, you have to be in her life today” 

- some very smart person I do not know

The entire life of your child is going to be precious, but in the 6570 it is not only precious, but we have a serious job to do and, to be honest, we don’t always feel up to the task.

When they are young it is more physically exhausting and then as they grow into adolescence it gets more mentally and emotionally exhausting, but...

Toxic masculinity

Toxic positivity

Toxic shock syndrome

Toxic waste

These are the top “toxic” searches in google today (in order).  I want to add one more to the bunch…  TOXIC AUTHENTICITY and I think they are all the same level of poison. 

(I would probably also add “toxic femininity” to the mix to be fair, but that is beside the point of this message today.  Swing the pendulum too far in any direction and it becomes toxic)

If...

This past week I had the immense pleasure of going to listen to one of my favorite authors, John C. Maxwell, speak at an intimate gathering some hours away.  

I drove the four hours there and back in less than 24 hours so I would not miss too much at home and I listened to books, ate road trip food (hello Baked Lays, nuts and Kind bars) and even got in a beautiful visit with friends who lived in the area.  

But, in doing this trip I was able to listen and...

Can you think of one thing that can give everyone what they need?  Maybe the Mary Poppins Bag or the Wizard of Oz’s bag with the heart, slippers and oil can in them?  The genie or the fairy godmother?  These are all fiction, but believe it or not there is one REAL source you can go to in life and in raising your daughters and sons that gives you what you need and that is scripture.  I know…  I didn’t believe it for over 30 years, but it is true.

...

I was working with one of my daughters the other day in chemistry.  I actually have two daughters in chemistry right now and one is loving it and the other loathes it.  

“It’s too much info!”

“I don’t understand!”

Listen, not every subject is going to be easy for your child.  It would be weird if they all were!  That is like a pro basketball player also being a pro baseball, pro golfer and pro quilter!  Our brains...