Teenagers

Halloween is one of our family’s favorite holidays. Each year we all get in on the spooky fun, from dressing up and trick-or-treating, to Halloween-themed activities. With a family as large as ours, it can be difficult to find Halloween...

“I’ll never be able to tie my shoes; it’s too hard!” Sound familiar? As parents, it can be difficult to navigate through the various struggles our children encounter as they grow. We want to encourage and help–heck, we may even...

Fall officially begins on September 22, but let's be honest–we've been dreaming of it for months. So grab your pumpkin spice latte and check out our 2017 Ultimate Guide to Fall in Iowa City! To make planning your fall easier,...

“That’s it! Go to your room! I don’t want to see you for the rest of the day!” “You go sit in the corner and think about what you’ve done!” “If you don’t stop it right now, you’re going...

I love my daughter. I really do. She is the sun in my sky and light of my life and rose in my garden and all those metaphors we use to describe how much we love someone.  Do you...

I grew up in Missouri, and I remember my dad giving me the driver's manual for my 15th birthday. Thank goodness, too, because the day I turned 15.5 years, he took me up to take my written test. Those...

Summer vacation is just around the corner, and this extended time off can be a great opportunity for the teenager in your family to get their first job. Our oldest son has technically been “working” since he was 13. When...

CANDY! I don't know about you, but we try to cut back on the amount of candy that our children get for holidays. However, there are special candies made for EVERY holiday! Even on the 4th of July we get candy tossed...

While lots of people think of February as full of hearts and love, February is also a time that calls attention to the darker side of relationships. It’s National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.   1 in 3 high school...

As parents, we know there are a set of basic life skills and lessons we need to teach our children to help them become safe, healthy, and productive members of society. One of the challenges of parenting is keeping...