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May 2019

May 11, 2019

The Best Thing My Mother Has Ever Done For Me

If you knew my mom, you would pretty quickly notice a few things about her....

April 2019

April 26, 2019

So THIS Beautiful Thing Just Happened . . . And I’m Thrilled!

Things have been busy around here but I needed to take a moment to tell...

April 10, 2019

A Letter to our Teenage Daughters About How They Dress

Dear Girls, Can we have an honest conversation about something that might be a little...

April 01, 2019

In the Wake of the Recent College Cheating Scandal

Unless you’ve been holed up under a rock (I’m in “Cave Mode” while writing a...

March 2019

March 19, 2019

Help Your Teen Avoid Social Media Comparison

Erica’s teenage daughter took out her phone for her daily ritual—taking photos of her outfit...

March 15, 2019

The Leprechaun Trap (Why Comparing Ourselves Is a Trap!)

I’ve discovered something. When I spend time a lot of time scrolling through social media,...

March 06, 2019

The Best Parenting Advice I Ever Received

We recently celebrated our son’s 16th birthday. Trust me, Jeff and I spent more than...

October 2018

October 26, 2018

Do You Want to Influence Your Teen’s Value Choices? Here’s How

Karen didn’t even need to glance at her daughter’s facial expression—she just heard the vocal...

September 2018

September 25, 2018

5 Easy Ways a Dad Can Connect With His Teen Daughter’s Heart

**This article is part of our August and September 2018 Guest Blog series. During a...

August 2018

August 14, 2018

She’s Going to College This Week – and I’m Trying to Let Go

It’s a big week. One of my closest friends and I stood next to each...

August 10, 2018

What To Say To Your Teenage Son When He’s Struggling (Hint: it’s not “Man up!”)

Now that the new school year is upon us, I’m reminded of a woman who...

June 2018

June 18, 2018

Men, This Father’s Day Airport Scene Explains Why YOU Are Amazing

Yesterday, Jeff and I and our two kids were hustling to catch a flight to...

June 15, 2018

Bashing Dads Needs To Stop And Here’s Why

A friend showed me this e-card and it made me steaming mad. For those who...

June 01, 2018

It’s okay to cry at high school graduation—unless you’re the Commencement Speaker

I can’t believe she’s a high school graduate. After 18 years of late nights...

May 2018

May 23, 2018

2 Secrets to Communicating With Your Teenager

“How was school?” (Shrug.) “Fine.” “What did you do?” (Shrug.) “Nothing.” “Anything fun happen today?” (Side...

May 11, 2018

4 Truths You Need to Know About Your Son and Visual Temptation

Even after years of being a social researcher and learning what is in the hearts...

March 2018

March 23, 2018

4 Reasons Your Teen Needs You To Be the Parent (Not a Friend)

As parents, we’ve all probably experienced the classic toddler temper tantrum—complete with them collapsing on...

March 16, 2018

6 Tips Coaches Want Every Sports Parent To Know

“Come on, Ref, are you kidding me? That was a foul!” The latest in an...

March 09, 2018

4 Crucial Things Daughters Need To Hear from their Dads

The daddy/daughter dances. The skinned knees and kissed boo-boos. Watching recitals, cheering at games, drying...

February 2018

February 22, 2018

3 Simple Steps to Help Your Teen Stay Honest

We value freedom, but in our research with teens we discovered that it is far...

February 16, 2018

3 Things to Remember With Your Drama Queen Daughter

Do you have a teen or pre-teen daughter at home? Ever gotten frustrated at her...

February 12, 2018

3 Things Every Boy Needs to Hear from His Mom

In more than a decade of research with thousands of men and boys over the years, one...

December 2017

December 19, 2017

What To Do When You Think Your Teen Has Lost the Faith

Your 15-year old son begins complaining about going to church on Saturday night and doesn’t...

October 2017

October 30, 2017

4 Reasons Parents Need to Be The Boss

It wasn’t really a thing before the title song of the hit comedy series Malcolm...

October 19, 2017

How to Help Your Son Fight These Three Dangerous Lies

As both a social researcher who has interviewed and surveyed thousands of boys and a...

October 11, 2017

How to Fix Teenage Attitude Problems …. Without Losing It

Not that this ever happens to you. But every now and then our kids (girls and...

September 2017

September 25, 2017

6 Tips From Coaches: How to Be a Good Sports Parent

The other day at a huge high school sports event, I watched a large, loud...

September 08, 2017

Are Legos Just for Boys? It’s Complicated

One of the things that years of research with men and women, boys and girls,...

June 2017

June 21, 2017

Two Practical Ways to Encourage Your Sons

Many boys these days go through challenging times that are not of their making, and...

May 2017

May 15, 2017

Four Fantastic Facts to Know about Your Prickly Teen

If you’re a parent of a teenager, you’ve probably experienced the eye roll or utter...