The Day I Was Glad the Trash Didn’t Get Taken Out
Kerry here 😊 Would you agree that one of the hardest parts of parenting teens is figuring out what to say or do when you are unhappy with them? Say your teen ignores a request, snaps at you, procrastinates, or blows something off. Before you even realize it, your brain is already racing: What do I […]
Don’t You Dare Say “Resolution”
I want to take a moment of silence for the New Year’s resolutions that have already bit the dust four days in…(at the bottom, there is a photo of how I spent my first day of 2026…it’s riveting) Also, it’s Palmer by the way! 😊 I’m always torn about how or if to write something about the […]
The Superpower I Wish I’d Had as a Mom
Kerry here. My daughter-in-law has a superpower that I wish I had when I was a young mother. When my kids were little, I had mastered the skills of “I’ve got this,” “I don’t need help,” and “I’m needless and wantless.” Bless that younger woman’s heart. She was doing the best she could with what she […]
A monk ruined the way I eat forever
You got Palmer today! I don’t know what it is, but for months something has been bashing around in my head pushing me to better understand two things: what does being present actually mean, and what are the little ways I escape without realizing it. And strangely enough, it keeps taking me back to a meditation retreat […]
Every kid needs one
Kerry here 🙂 When I was a kid, I called my mom’s best friend “Mother Millie.” I didn’t give it much thought that she was there for me…. That is, until my parents divorced when I was a teen. I was devastated and so embarrassed that this was happening to OUR family. Since we didn’t […]
When Saying “No” Means Saying “Yes” to What Matters Most
Three weeks ago, Palmer and I traveled to Columbus to present at a conference about teen mental health. After a long day of travel, we were finally in our hotel room. I was ready for a fun dinner out, but he was stressed and needed space. Palmer faced a choice: he could either push through […]
Beyond Comfort Zones: Building Kid Resilience
here sat my stepson during our visit to his university in Oregon, eager to get back on the river. We’d spent the previous day freezing in cold air and colder water, but he was ready for more. Now here my partner and I were, the next morning, warm and cozy in our RV on a […]
What’s Your Inner Voice Teaching Your Kid?
The way kids talk to themselves has MASSIVE ramifications for the kind of adults they become. How do parents set up their kid’s internal dialogue for success? Here’s the tricky part: a big part of what shapes their inner voice comes from you. For many of us, we might not be as intentional with our own thoughts as […]
Are you bringing out the best in your kid?
“If you were living your best version of yourself, what would that look like? And what kind of support would be helpful?” Every time I ask a parent what they want for their kid, they are very clear about the attributes and values they hope to instill. The list usually starts along the lines of […]
Is it okay for you to be imperfect?
Sometimes s**t happens. Yes, you got me, Palmer today! I wanted to share some thoughts I have about the various expectations we have – as parents, friends, spouses, neighbors, strangers, siblings, and ourselves. Last week it was my week to write our Sunday email but somehow Saturday night came after a very busy week, I was at […]
