1. Parenting & Family

Plan a Kid-Friendly Vacation

Make sure your tween has down time on the family vacation.

Tips, suggestions and ideas on planning the ultimate kid-friendly vacation.

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Tweens Spotlight10

Planning End of School Activities

Tuesday May 1, 2012

May is such a busy month for us. With all of the end of school activities (induction ceremonies, chorus concerts, field day, etc.) and all of the extracurricular activities (piano recitals, awards ceremonies, etc.) it's no wonder I start looking forward to the final day of school, when my kids get off the bus, and at least for a few days, the daily schedule winds down.

Usually, on the last day of school my children throw down their backpacks and pick up a beach towel and head for the neighborhood pool -- it's a tradition of sorts.

But I know many families celebrate the end of the school year with an annual tradition. Something they do every year to mark the beginning of another summer together. Does yours? If so, what's your family's end of school year tradition?

Looking Forward to the Summer Sleep Schedule

Thursday April 26, 2012

There's another two months left in the school year, but I'm already looking forward to summer break. My kids need the break, particularly my youngest. She's been so hard to wake in the morning, and it's not because she goes to bed as some ungodly hour. It's just because she's so busy throughout the week, that she's totally exhausted by the time her head hits the pillow.

And I don't see anyplace to cut back. She has homework that she has to do, there are household chores, playtime is necessary, and it's not like she's involved in a million activities after school, I never went in for that.

So, we'll just have to push forward until summer break begins, and she can catch-up on sleep, and downtime. I think we both need it.

The Challenges of Early Puberty

Tuesday April 24, 2012

There's been a lot in the news lately about girls hitting puberty earlier than previous generations. Typically, girls enter puberty between the ages of 10 and 14. Precocious puberty or early puberty occurs when a girl enters puberty before age 8. Can you even imagine beginning puberty at such a young age?

There's a lot involved, apparently, including family history, nutrition, and even medical disorders. But when early puberty happens, parents and children have a lot to contend with. Can girls that young even understand how to properly use pads or tampons? The fear of being different from their peers is another fear girls and their families have to face.  And what about the long-term consequences of all of this? How will early puberty impact future fertility, cancers and other considerations?

There will be more studies, more data and research on this to come, but until then, parents should prepare their daughters, and provide a support network that includes their pediatrician should early puberty occur.

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When Your Tween Becomes a Teen

Friday April 20, 2012

The tween years go by so fast. With my oldest, it seemed like elementary school went on for years and years, and middle school was so far in the future that we didn't much think about it. Then she entered middle school, and before I knew it she was a teenager and headed off to high school.

When your tween becomes a teen it's a huge adjustment for a parent. Your big kid is actually now an adolescent. An adult-in-the-making. Gasp. And, it can be tough on new teens, too. There's a lot of serious stuff to face together, and there's no backing down from the challenges, not with so much at risk.

Take it one day at a time, together. And remember there are numerous resources that you can turn to should you need assistance. Be sure to check out the Parenting Teens site here, guided by Denise Witmer. And hang in there. You'll make it through.

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