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The Beauty of Serving Others
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” -Mahatma Gandhi I recently had the pleasure of speaking to a group of tweens who’d gathered at a shelter for families experiencing homelessness. They brought homemade holiday treats for the families and donated food to the shelter for meals. They wrote notes of gratitude and appreciation for the staff and heard from the director about the families they serve and what it takes to run a shelter. It was such an incredible opportunity for these young people to learn about gratitude, kindness, and serving others. The holiday season is a time when lots of us think about giving and…
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10 Lessons We Can Learn from Fall
“Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go.” ~Unknown As we venture past the midpoint of Fall, we find ourselves solidly in the depths of its beauty and wisdom. One of the most striking facets of fall’s energy is its unwavering embrace of change. As the trees shed their brilliant foliage, they remind us that transformation is an intrinsic part of life. The vivid colors that adorn the landscape serve as a testament to the beauty that can emerge from letting go. It’s a season that stirs our senses, inviting us to slow down, reflect, and realign with the rhythms of the natural world. It’s a time…
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10 Great Podcasts for Tweens
The teachers in our school district have been on a historic first-ever strike since November 1st (we love our teachers! ✊🏼💙), which means there have been a lot of kids – 49,000 to be exact – spending much of their time at home for the last 16 days and counting (including my three!). It also means I can’t hold my school-based workshop series since we meet on campus and all school buildings are closed during the strike. Since my after-school classes are canceled and we parents are all scrambling for things to keep our kiddos busy, I sent some DIY activities for the students in my workshops and a few podcast…
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Nurturing Your Spirit: 10 Steps for Creating a Sacred Morning Practice
“The morning breeze has secrets to tell you. Do not go back to sleep.” – Rumi In the rush of our daily lives, finding moments of tranquility and connection can be a challenge. We often let our own well-being take a back seat to the hustle and bustle of daily responsibilities. I have seen first-hand the power of nurturing your soul and carving out sacred moments for self-discovery and inner growth, and yet… During the summer it’s easy for me to fall out of my morning routine. ALL the kids are home ALL the time, we’re traveling and away, and honestly, it feels impossible to keep many of our routines…
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Adolescent Development: Part 2
As you can imagine, along with all of the physical changes that are happening during this time of early adolescence, age 9-13, there are lots of emotional and behavioral changes as well. You might notice your child has a changing social circle or friendship challenges, they’re into trying new things and want to have more control over their lives and decisions. These are all normal and important developments on the path to adulthood, but the road can be bumpy as parents and their tweens navigate the new dynamic between them. **If you’re looking for physical changes of puberty and early adolescence, you can read Part 1 here.** SELF-DISCOVERY AND CURIOSITY…
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Adolescent Development: Part 1
Hey, parents! Today, we embark on an exciting journey into the world of early adolescent development – that magical time between ages 9 and 13. As your child navigates this rollercoaster of change, you’ll find it incredibly helpful to understand what’s going on for them and how to best support them through this hugely transformative period. It’s a time of massive change that requires an extra big dose of understanding, patience, and love from everyone involved. In this post we’ll be taking a look at the physical changes that take place. Check out Part 2 for emotional and behavioral changes you might see. PHYSICAL CHANGES Here are some of the physical changes…
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Why Youth Mentoring is Important
Ah, adolescence. It’s a time of limitless potential and infinite dreams, but it can also be a season filled with uncertainty and challenges. This is where the role of youth mentors becomes invaluable. Today I’d like to shed some light on some of the magic that happens when young people find the guidance and support they need. Here are just some of the reasons youth mentoring is so awesome (but I may be biased!): A SHOULDER TO LEAN ON: In a world that can sometimes feel cold and uncaring, having a youth mentor is like having a warm hug when you need it most. Mentors are empathetic listeners, always ready…
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What It’s Like to Work With a Youth Mentor
Finding the right support system for your child’s growth and development is a crucial decision for any parent. In today’s fast-paced world, young people face an array of challenges and a youth mentor can make a significant impact on their journey. In this blog post, we’ll dive into what it’s like to work with a youth mentor (me!), highlighting the benefits and the transformative experiences that lie ahead for both your child and your family. A TRUSTED GUIDE AND FRIEND When you welcome a youth mentor into your child’s life, you’re inviting in a trusted guide and friend. As a mentor, I aim to form a genuine connection with your…
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5 Ways to Avoid Burnout This Summer
Ah, summertime…the season of sunshine, relaxation, and carefree days. We’ve made our way through a long dark winter where we were dedicated to “being” and inner pursuits like self-reflection and shadow work. In spring, we planted the seeds we’d nurtured over winter, and now we’re ready to stoke our inner fire and let it burn like the hot sun overhead while we take MASSIVE ACTION and GO and DO ALL THE THINGS!!! But let’s pump the brakes here for a second. As we feel pulled toward a thousand adventures and the desire to make the most of this special time, it’s important to avoid over-doing it and flaming out in…
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Are You Getting These 7 Types of Rest?
“It takes courage to say yes to rest and play in a culture where exhaustion is seen as a status symbol.” -Brené Brown In our 20’s, my husband and I climbed many a mountain. Most weekends you could find us headed for the mountains straight from work on Fridays with a trunk full of climbing and mountaineering gear. Our longest expedition was on Denali (Mt. McKinley) in Alaska. We were on the mountain for three weeks and every day – every thing – was meticulously planned. Not just the route we would take and the gear we needed. I mean EVERYTHING. We counted out baby wipes and scheduled which days…
