Gifts of Time, Tech Training for Dad’s Day

June 13, 2013 Our family just wrapped up an impromptu multi-generational digital debriefing with all ages in town for teen graduation. “Wait, how’d you DO that?” became the common refrain of the day, with every generation sharing their easiest way to connect and preserve the milestone, which turned into an amusing show-n-tell. As each generation learned from one another … [Read more...]

Graduation, Prom, Pressure, Stress? Keeping Up With The Joneses

June 1, 2012 Personally, I don’t think 8th grade and ‘cocktail dress’ should be uttered in the same sentence, but alas, there are entire websites ratcheting up the ‘kids getting older younger’ (KGOY) effect of marketing mania turning ‘tweens’ into 8th grade glamorama Disney divas with little regard for kids’ socioemotional health and developmental milestones. As 8th grade … [Read more...]

ABCs of Life: What’s Your Gift To Graduating Youth?

June 4, 2010 How many graduating class invitations do you have piled up from folks you haven’t heard from in an eternity? I’m curious. I’m at three, and trying not to ‘over-think’ the blinding incivility of those with paws out for paltry ‘gimmes,’ preferring to perceive this as simply a well-meaning announcement akin to those holiday cards detailing ‘the kids … [Read more...]

Media Hypefest: Is Prom the New Wedding? A Teen’s Perspective

May 7, 2010 As the last vestiges of prom wind down along with Girls Rights Week, I wanted to land one last post in the queue exploring media and marketing’s impact on kids' expectations, reality show distortions, and 'over the top' depictions of celebratory fetes. From ‘proma-a drama,’ lavish limos and  fantasy night fairytales (e.g. akin to the amped up MTV My Super Sweet … [Read more...]