Hey there! I’m so glad you stopped by!
If you’re the parent of a teenager, you’ve come to the right place! Why? Because teenagers are my jam! I love everything about the crazy, tumultuous teen years… I know, that puts me in the category of crazy, but it’s true!
The eye-rolling, heavy sighs, threats to run away from home, door slammin’, horrific hormone kinda teen years that drive most parents nuts are my faves! In my book, there’s no such thing as “bad” kids – just kids struggling to find their way in a society that makes it all too challenging. I’m a firm believer that whatever a whole lot of love and humor doesn’t cure, patience will! And, to make these crazy years just a little more tolerable, my website aims to wrap a big “don’t worry, it will all work out” bear hug around parents who are grappling with sanity and an even bigger “take it one day at a time, you’ve totally got this” bear hug around teens who are muddling through the crazy teens years. Trust me… it all gets better, eventually!
For a glimpse into my life and why I’m so passionate about teens, here’s just a little about me…
I’ve raised literally dozens of kids. It’s true! Well, let me back up just a little… I’ve “helped” raise dozens of kids. You see, our home, for some reason, always was (and continues to be) the house where everyone likes to hang out. Between my three kids and all their friends, my home has always been filled with a houseful of kids eating me out of house of home (I typically hide the grocery bill so my husband doesn’t freak out), making a mess, and playing music so loud the floor vibrates. I’m not complaining, though. The truth is, I love all these kids. They’re family to me. I relish in their successes, anguish when they’re struggling, and love them as my own. Maybe that’s why they enjoy our home so much – because our home is a safe zone for them.
Countless “lessons learned” later, piles of insight gained, and more candid conversations with parents and teens than I can recall, I’ve learned a thing or two about raising well-rounded, steady, happy teens, including how they think and what they wish their parents knew. As an advocate for parents and teens alike, my goal is to make life a little easier, a little less stressful, and a lot more harmonious because, truthfully, the way we parent today will most definitely impact our kids’ tomorrow…
And, if you’re really interested (or just bored), here’s a little more about me and my professional background…
A Chicago native, I moved to the South nearly 25 years ago and consider myself a Southerner at heart. My husband, Paul, and our three kids have lived in Georgia for close to 20 years in a family-friendly suburb of Atlanta. As a working mom, I owned my own public relations firm for many years, working with a variety of clients in a broad array of business sectors. As a content writer by profession, over the last 25+ years, my work has been published in hundreds of local, regional, and national publications. With a passion for writing on a personal level as well (I’m also a relentless “thinker”), I’m always contemplating the next topic I want to write about. And, let’s face it, when you’re raising kids (particularly teenagers), there’s always something to write about!
About Raising Teens Today… A Place Where Parents Can Be Themselves
Raising teens in our modern society isn’t for the faint of heart. Between the hormones (and I’m not just talking about teens), the extreme highs and lows, the relentless schedules in middle school, high school and college, the power of social media, peer pressure, and so much more, the emotional whiplash is enough to leave any parent feeling frazzled and drained. Raising Teens Today is a resource and a safe zone for parents of tweens, teens, and young adults to just be themselves and share their own parenting journey while we chat about the joys, challenges, triumphs, and frustrations of raising our oh, so imperfect (but totally awesome) teens. We dive into conversation aimed at finding solutions to our problems, insight into our concerns, and answers to our questions. And, to keep us all sane (‘cuz we’re all on the edge, right?), we also toss in a healthy dose of humor, teen-tested recipes, and fun stories!
Remember, you’re not alone… we’re in this together! I hope you’ll join me and remember, it takes a village to raise kids – I hope you’ll consider Raising Teens Today “your village.”
