New Beginnings

This month promises to be a very exciting one.

My daughter has completed her first week of her junior year in college and likes all her classes.

My older son begins college in a couple of weeks, where he will try out for the baseball team. His goal is to combine the intense five-year architecture program with baseball, so it will be quite a challenge. In some ways though, he does his best work when he is pressed for time - not unlike his mother.

My youngest is at a high school orientation for freshmen today, led by a "link crew" of experienced seniors who have volunteered their time to help the new kids adjust to life in H.S. They will keep in touch with the kids throughout their freshman year, helping them make the adjustment to their new school.

My husband is switching to a new group at work and will have new responsibilities there.

I will be writing full time come next week, and I can't wait. So here's to new challenges and new beginnings!

Party time!

One more idea on keeping the teens busy this summer. Let them plan a party for their friends and put the entire thing together. That means they should clean the house in preparation for the big day. They should pick a theme for the party, then plan and shop for the food and decorations. Make sure they stay within a given budget too. They will appreciate you so much more when they discover how much effort and energy went into all those birthday parties you gave them. And they will feel proud of themselves for planning and executing their own party all by themselves!

Keeping Teens Busy During the Summer

As the long summer days press on, time at home with the kids can wear on your nerves a bit. While there are plenty of activites to keep young kids busy, it can be a lot harder finding things for your teenager to do - especially if that teenager is too young to work and drive a car. This week, we'll explore some of the unique challenges we parents of young teens face during the summer months.

If anyone has any helpful ideas, don't hesitate to leave a comment.

Tomorrow: Updating Your Teen's Room